The American Botanical Council (ABC) has premiered two videos produced by the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) on its YouTube channel, HerbTV.

A 26-minute video, “DSHEA and the Defense of Health Freedom,” commemorates the 30^th anniversary of the passage of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA). This legislation, signed into law by President Bill Clinton, created a legal category for dietary supplements as foods; prior to its passage, efforts were being made to classify them as drugs. It established a new regulatory structure within the FDA to regulate product quality.

The second video, “A Pillar of Herbal Community: A Tribute to Michael McGuffin,” celebrates the life and work of Michael McGuffin, who served as president of AHPA for 25 years. His legacy in the dietary supplement and herbal product industries came through his deep commitment to the role of herbs in natural health practices, and his advocacy efforts for various regulations and for industry self-governance.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to present these AHPA videos on ABC’s HerbTV,” said Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of ABC, who was a founding member of AHPA in 1982. “ABC appreciates AHPA’s sharing these videos with ABC members and the general public via HerbTV, and we look forward to future collaborations with AHPA to help educate ABC members and HerbTV viewers about the many facets of the modern herbal community, including AHPA’s advocacy for herbs and botanical products.”