MANY readers may not realise but due to EU legislation this year many herbal remedies are being withdrawn if they are unlicensed. I am unsure of the actual list but Devil's Claw (used by arthritis patients) and St. John's Wort (used for depression) are two that are affected.

Whilst I understand the concern to make sure these products are not low quality and harmful, banning is not the way to go!

When the NHS is already facing dramatic cuts and is overloaded where exactly are patients like me, who rely on herbal medication (because many conventional drugs don't suit us or have harmful/unpleasant side effects) going to go?

For one herbal tablet I may need a conventional one plus several more to combat its side effects. I only buy from agents well established in the herbal medicine industry and they are just going to withdraw those medicines affected. Those that the legislation is 'protecting' us from will just sell on the black market. This is playing right into their hands.

They will not only continue to trade but probably get more customers because we have nowhere else to turn!

Many people develop problems due to medication but how many of them are due to herbal remedies? Yes, there are contraindications (the contraceptive pill is affected by many herbal drugs) but if you get profession advice and read the label they can be safer, sometimes cheaper and more effective than those drugs dished out by the pharmaceutical giants.

GPs have been recommending herbal alternatives because they realise this. It's a pity the government doesn't care about the people of the country it represents!

– Kate Denley, by email.