It can become dangerous fast if these restrictions are placed on formula us at this point in time.
First and formost who decides whats a "real reason" for using formula? who decides that this women is telling the truth, and this women is lieing, or this women isn't trying hard enough.
3% of women experience not enough milk. 3% of the worlds population is still a very large number, concidering there are nearly 70 billion people in the world. 3% of that is still 210 million people. Then you have the other people who can't because of other medical reasons, or those who have no mother to BF, and the numbers are acutally quiet large.
Its not a new issue. Its always been there, but it used to be delt with via wetnurses for those who could get one from a family member, or pay one who wasn't family, or they found other "formula's" to use. Be it cows milk, goats milk, or gruel and booze of some veriety, which has it really not healthy for babies. while formula is not the ideal food for babies, its a lot better then some of the other concoctions that people used to feed babies who had no BM.
While its deffinilty "over used" I think its importent to spread the news about the benifits, to mom and baby, of BF while keeping an open mind to the true problems that do exist for some mothers.
By restricting access to formula I fear it would actually hurt the babies in the end. The ones who really need it.
As a previous posted pointed out. We didn't get to where we are with FF over night and it can't be fixed over night. (Rome wasn't built in a day)
Putting it behind the counter, or making it perscription only means its something shamefull. More moms would then not get the formula the NEED because of shame. it happens with medications all the time so it would with formula too. Formula is also not medication and doesn't belong with the medications.
doctors are getting better, its going to take time. Newer doctors are learning so much more about the benifits of BM and BF so it is coming. Unforunitly its harder to teach older doctors who are set in their ways, but the pressures are there and the change, while slow, is starting. different area's are further then others. Where I am for example BF IS the norm. Most women who leave the hospital here leave BF, there are not sample bags of formula, if you FF and want free samples you have to ASK for them (which for me is fine if moms need it then they should be able to get it without BF moms getting them.) BF women in public is normal, you see it everyday, doctors here push for BF to the point where many times babies are in a bad spot before they finally tell mom, yes they need formula. (balence is needed here I think) FF moms are the ones who hide when they feed their babies, they're the ones who are ashamed (I was one of those the first time because I could not BF no matter what I tried) FF moms get the durty looks. BF moms get the smiles and feed where they are when they need to.
I dream of a day when its this normal everywhere.