Green Gold: The Potential and Pitfalls for North American Medicinal Plants in the US Botanical Supplements Industry

Pai, A. and Skeels, M. IN: National Proceeding: Forest and Conservation Nursery Associa­tions - 2009. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Proceedings RMRS-P-62, p. 12-14. 2010.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has become an implicit part of a lifestyle industry in the United States. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that at least 41% of the population in the US has used CAM at least once in their lives (WHO 2002). Globalization, an influx of various immigrant cultures, and growing wariness of western allopathic medicine have contributed to a growing CAM industry in the US (Brevoort 1996). CAM in the US consists of a hybrid eclectic mix of several cultural and traditional healing systems from around the globe. Large cities with immigrant populations, such as New York City and San Fransico, offer access to Botanicas and Asian medicine pharmacies. The mainstream population has, however, adopted only some parts of these forms of healing as part of their wellness lifestyle, for example, yoga as a form of exercise and acupuncture for some ailments. Herbal medication is also an aspect of the global healing cultures that has become commercially popular. Consumers are becoming increasingly curious about medicinal plants and often think that their consumption has only negligible side effects.

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Author(s): Aswini Pai, Matthew Skeels

Publication: National Nursery Proceedings - 2009

Event: Intertribal Nursery Council Meeting
2009 - Moscow, Idaho