Russia Declares Homeopathy "dangerous 'pseudoscience' that does not work"

[Crunchy]

I know what you're saying and as I said, there are allot of con artists out there and that kind of thing must be policed, but are you really suggesting that the government should start banning plants? Should they fine people for drinking chaga or herbal teas or eating ginseng etc... That seems ridiculous to me.

I've no problem with prosecuting parents who through stupidity cause their own children's death with nonsense. I said that the govt should get involved in some instances. What I am referring to is allowing people to do things that they feel are beneficial to them even if you or I feel it's pure stupidity. That is the nature of freedom of choice. People are free to do things you or I think are dumb. Chiropractic is an example of this. Seems like nonsense to me but some people seem to like it. IMO we're free to express our opinion and they are free to do what they want. What part of that do you find ridiculous?

That is all dependent on the provider of product and/or service and the claim(s) attached. 

So, tell me, those people drinking chaga or herbal teas or eating ginseng etc..., did they do that based on their own investigation and volition or did the provider extoll their benefits and virtues, and financially gain?

Some of both. Many people here in the North go out and collect there own chaga. Some buy it from the health food store.
I liken it to religion.
Religion is believed in spite of scientific evidence and there is plenty of evidence that it is harmful in many instances... but many people feel they get something out of it. Should we ban religion then? Of course not. Are there dangerous cults that spring up and need to be curtailed. At times yes.

Same goes for homeopathy. There are millions of people spreading this by word of mouth and some really believe in this stuff. There are also unscrupulous people actively defrauding people of money and endangering lives. The former are allowed to continue and the latter are prosecuted (though arguably not often enough)

Keep in mind that some "naturopathic" remedies have actually done some good. You're probably familiar with Lorenzo's oil, or the effects of CBD in marijuana to stop seizures. The only personal experience I have with this is my father ridding himself of rheumatoid arthritis by taking a tincture made from beaver castors  (Beaver oil glands). This remedy has been used by the local natives for a long time. I later found out that Cetyl Myristoleate (the active ingredient) was isolated and identified years before by Dr. Harry Diehl, a researcher at the National Institute of Health but no pharmaceutical is interested in investing time or effort into a product that occurs naturally and can't be patented. 

So I have to stand by my initial statement. People should be allowed to take stuff that they feel benefit them even if there is no science to back it up. That's part and parcel of living in a free society.