Young Living, essential oil giant, fined
Friday, September 22, 2017 by: Russel Davis
Tags: Endangered species, essential oils, Lacey Act, rosewood, spikenard, Young Living
(Natural News) The U.S. Justice Department recently announced that Lehi, Utah-based essential oils company Young Living has pleaded guilty over federal misdemeanor charges due to its illegal trafficking of rosewood oil and spikenard oil, which violated the Lacey Act and the Endangered Species Act.
The federal agency noted that Young Living voluntarily disclosed its rosewood oil violations and has been coordinating with the authorities. Under the terms of the plea agreement, the company is to settle $500,000 in fines and $135,000 in restitution.
The essential oils firm was also sentenced to a community service payment of $125,000, which was intended for the conservation of protected species of plants used in their manufacturing processes.
In addition, the company was penalized with a term of five years’ probation with special conditions, which include:
- Audits
- Implementation of a corporate compliance plan
- Publication of statements regarding its convictions.
“The importation of illegally harvested wood and timber products harms law-abiding American companies and workers and threatens forest resources around the world. Our Division was proud to work alongside the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Utah, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Department of Homeland Security to bring this case to a positive conclusion,” Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Environment and Natural Resources Division said in a statement.
“While the natural resource violations by certain employees of Young Living were intentional and substantial, the company’s decision to conduct an internal investigation, voluntarily disclose the initial violations to government enforcement authorities and cooperate throughout the ensuing investigation is to be commended. This sentence reflects both the seriousness of the offenses and the acceptance of responsibility and cooperation by the company,” said U.S. Attorney John W. Huber for the District of Utah
Factors that led to Young Living’s guilty plea
The plea agreement disclosed that several company employees and contractors harvested, transported, and distilled rosewood in Peru between June 2010 to October 2014. The products were then imported some of the resulting oil into the United States, through Ecuador.
The Peruvian government also prohibits the export of species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Further investigation revealed that the essential oils company also exported spikenard oil that was harvested in Nepal to the United Kingdom without a CITES permit in December 2015.
The investigation was carried out by the Law Enforcement Offices of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Inspector General with assistance of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Department of Homeland Security.
In response, the company released a statement, stressing its commitment in ensuring that their products were obtained from legal and sustainable sources.
“As part of Young Living commitment to comply with applicable laws and regulations wherever it does business, the company has developed a new comprehensive Lacey Act Compliance Program to help ensure that plant products come from legal and sustainable sources. Young Living is the first and only essential oils company to have a comprehensive Lacey Act-specific compliance program that has been reviewed and accepted by the government,” a company statement read.
Relax with A Massage
Massage has long been something that millions of people have enjoyed and millions more have wanted to learn more about. Given the voluminous information available on the topic, it can be difficult to sort the good material from the bad. Fortunately, by reading the article that follows, you can gain a proper understanding of some of the most important elements of massage.
If you suffer from back pain, especially in your lower back, having regular massages could be very beneficial. Having a professional relax your muscles can really work wonders and prevent you from further back injuries. It can also help with back spasms, which can be very painful and sometimes debilitating.
Feeling a little blue? Go get a massage! The health benefits of massage are numerous, and studies have shown that one of the benefits of massage is elevated serotonin. Serotonin is a neurochemical that makes us feel happy, yet lack of sleep, hormone fluctuations, gloomy weather and poor diets can lower your body’s natural serotonin stores.
You should try different techniques when giving a massage. Use your hands and fingers to rub, apply pressure or even give gentle taps. Use the tip of your fingers if you need precision, for instance to relax a tense muscle. You could also try covering as much surface as possible by using the palm of your hands to apply pressure.
An easy way to give a relaxing massage is by using a technique called “raking”. In it, you just run your fingertips (spread hands) down the person’s back, gently moving back and forth. Really, you’re doing a raking motion up and down. For added effect, try alternating your hands – one rakes up while the other rakes down.
One of the best things that you can do before and after your massage is to drink a lot of water. Water will help to eliminate some of the free radicals that are in your body, which may be causing your discomfort in the first place. This will optimize your overall experience.
Do not get up immediately after your massage, especially when receiving a deep tissue massage. Most people will experience bouts of dizziness or feeling light-headed if the body has not had time to process the ministrations of the masseuse. Relax a bit more and let your body regulate itself before you get back to your day.
The speed of your hands is important for the kind of massage you are trying to give. If you are looking for a massage to relax your partner, go for slow strokes. If you are looking to work out tired muscles that have been over exerted, faster strokes work better.
The art of massage is a complex topic, but also one of great interest to many. The key to acquiring a good understanding of what massage has the capacity to do for countless individuals is getting your hands on the right information. The article above should serve as a useful reference as you continue your quest for greater understanding of the subject of massage.
Massage has long been something that millions of people have enjoyed and millions more have wanted to learn more about. Given the voluminous information available on the topic, it can be difficult to sort the good material from the bad. Fortunately, by reading the article that follows, you can gain a proper understanding of some of the most important elements of massage.
If you suffer from back pain, especially in your lower back, having regular massages could be very beneficial. Having a professional relax your muscles can really work wonders and prevent you from further back injuries. It can also help with back spasms, which can be very painful and sometimes debilitating.
Feeling a little blue? Go get a massage! The health benefits of massage are numerous, and studies have shown that one of the benefits of massage is elevated serotonin. Serotonin is a neurochemical that makes us feel happy, yet lack of sleep, hormone fluctuations, gloomy weather and poor diets can lower your body’s natural serotonin stores.
You should try different techniques when giving a massage. Use your hands and fingers to rub, apply pressure or even give gentle taps. Use the tip of your fingers if you need precision, for instance to relax a tense muscle. You could also try covering as much surface as possible by using the palm of your hands to apply pressure.
An easy way to give a relaxing massage is by using a technique called “raking”. In it, you just run your fingertips (spread hands) down the person’s back, gently moving back and forth. Really, you’re doing a raking motion up and down. For added effect, try alternating your hands – one rakes up while the other rakes down.
One of the best things that you can do before and after your massage is to drink a lot of water. Water will help to eliminate some of the free radicals that are in your body, which may be causing your discomfort in the first place. This will optimize your overall experience.
Do not get up immediately after your massage, especially when receiving a deep tissue massage. Most people will experience bouts of dizziness or feeling light-headed if the body has not had time to process the ministrations of the masseuse. Relax a bit more and let your body regulate itself before you get back to your day.
The speed of your hands is important for the kind of massage you are trying to give. If you are looking for a massage to relax your partner, go for slow strokes. If you are looking to work out tired muscles that have been over exerted, faster strokes work better.
The art of massage is a complex topic, but also one of great interest to many. The key to acquiring a good understanding of what massage has the capacity to do for countless individuals is getting your hands on the right information. The article above should serve as a useful reference as you continue your quest for greater understanding of the subject of massage.
On – 22 Sep, 2017 By Russel Davis
