Death of Common Sense: Europe bans claim that water can prevent dehydration

If you've ever run in a 10-k race or marathon, you know that hydrating is really important. That's why they have water stations at various stages of the race. We've also been told that you need to drink 8 glasses of water a day, right?

I've been talking about the "Death of CommonSense" and you can file this one under Ripley's Believe It Or Not cause I'm not making this up.

While Greece and Italy are about to flush the EU down the toilet, here's what the EU is really concerned about. This story ran in yesterday's London Telegraph: The European Union which consists of 27 countries has BANNED a statement that water can prevent hydration. Brussels bureaucrats were ridiculed yesterday after banning drink manufacturers from claiming that water can prevent dehydration.

EU officials concluded that, following a three-year investigation, there was no evidence to prove the previously undisputed fact. Producers of bottled water are now forbidden by law from making the claim and will face a two-year jail sentence if they defy the edict, which comes into force in the UK next month.

Last night, critics claimed the EU was at odds with both science and common sense. Conservative MEP Roger Helmer said: “This is stupidity writ large. “The euro is burning, the EU is falling apart and yet here they are: highly-paid, highly-pensioned officials worrying about the obvious qualities of water and trying to deny us the right to say what is patently true. “If ever there were an episode which demonstrates the folly of the great European project then this is it.” 

The British NHS health guidelines state clearly that drinking water helps avoid dehydration, and that Britons should drink at least 1.2 litres per day. The Department for Health disputed the wisdom of the new law. A spokesman said: “Of course water hydrates. While we support the EU in preventing false claims about products, we need to exercise common sense as far as possible."

This is not the first time that the EU has issued a stupid ruling which defies "common sense." In 2008, rules banning bent bananas and curved cucumbers were scrapped after causing international ridicule.