Consumer columnist and West Hartford resident Harlan Levy has more than 20 years of experience writing stories about everyday experiences that anyone could encounter.

By Harlan Levy

Another scam reported by neighbors on website NextDoor: If you receive a notification supposedly from the state Department of Motor Vehicles stating that you have an outstanding traffic ticket and must pay a fine within three days, disregard it. It’s another government imposter scam.

If you want to see if you really have an outstanding traffic ticket, go to https://www.jud.ct.gov/crim.htm and do a name search under “Pending cases – search by Defendant.”

Lavender

My wife loves the smell of lavender, and she was elated to visit a huge lavender farm in Long Island recently with friends.

She’s not alone.

You can find it at coffee outlets nationwide, with Starbucks offering three lavender drinks this spring.

But is it safe? A report out March 7 from nonprofit health site Environmental Working Group – Ewg.org – states that foods promoting lavender may contain little or none of the plant that grows in nature, but instead a mixture of chemicals mixed in a beaker.

The herb has become more common in other foods and mixed drinks, the report says, and in some instances it’s lavender in name only because it’s an artificial ingredient and not naturally grown.

The Food and Drug Administration considers four types of lavender to be generally safe – “a food ingredient designation that’s turned into a regulatory loophole that allows the herb to bypass safety review,” EWG said. “That’s why you need to be vigilant when shopping for products flavored or scented with lavender that they actually contain the herb, and not a toxic imitation of it.”

• Labels: If a product’s ingredient label names the plant (or the Latin name, lavandula) then legally it must contain real lavender. But even if the ingredient list includes the plant name, if natural or artificial flavors are also mentioned, it’s impossible to know how much of the scent or flavor comes directly from real lavender.
• Check for artificial and natural flavors. Both may contain harmful preservatives and solvents.
• Lavender oil: It’s often more concentrated than lavender extract, and the two may differ in chemical composition. But lavender oil can be poisonous if ingested in significant amounts.EWG notes that one study suggests that early onset of puberty could be associated with endocrine-disrupting effects from ongoing exposure to lavender oil components in lavender-scented personal care and home products.
• Food dyes: Red and blue dyes can be combined to create a purple color found on the label of lavender products. But some colorants may lead to behavioral and development problems for some children and increase the risk of cancer. According to the Starbucks’ website, drinks containing lavender powder contain natural flavor and food dyes, not real lavender.
• Real lavender: Many food and beverages contain real lavender without the artificial flavor: dairy-free lavender coconut yogurt, lavender syrup, lavender-infused olive oil, and lavender honey (with a flavor that comes from bees eating mostly lavender blossoms.)

Misleading claims by weight loss products

Some family members are taking GLP-1 products to lose weight, which is why I’ve included the following report.

First, definitions: GLP-1 products are FDA-approved, prescription-based items that manage Type 2 diabetes and obesity by regulating blood sugar and appetite. Major brand-names include Ozempic, Wegovy (semaglutide), Mounjaro, Zepbound (tirzepatide), Victoza, and Saxenda – mostly administered via weekly or daily injections.

Dangers: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration just issued 30 warning letters to telehealth companies for making false or misleading claims regarding direct-to-consumer compounded GLP-1 products offered on their websites. Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved and are not the same as generic drugs, which are FDA-approved. Over the past six months, the agency has sent thousands of letters warning pharmaceutical and telehealth firms to remove misleading ads, more than had been sent over the entire preceding decade.

Primary violations included making claims implying sameness with FDA-approved products and obscuring product sourcing by advertising drug products branded with the telehealth firm’s name or trademark without qualification, implying they are the compounder.

Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved and are not the same as generic drugs, which are FDA-approved.

FDA-Approved GLP-1 Products:

• Semaglutide (weekly injection/oral): Ozempic (diabetes), Wegovy (weight loss), Rybelsus (oral tablet, diabetes).
• Tirzepatide (weekly injection): Mounjaro (diabetes), Zepbound (weight loss).
• Liraglutide (daily injection):Victoza (diabetes), Saxenda® (weight loss).
• Dulaglutide (weekly injection): Trulicity.
• Exenatide (daily/weekly injection): Byetta (short-acting), Bydureon® (long-acting).

Now you know.

NOTE: If you have a consumer problem, contact me at [email protected] (“Consumer” in subject line), and, with the power of the press, maybe I can help.

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