The billrestricts sale of over-the-counter diet pills and supplements for weight loss or muscle building to people under the age of 18. Those supplements include thermogenics, lipotropics, hormones, and appetite suppressants.
The bill states that what products constitute OTC diet pills or weight loss/muscle building supplements will be decided by the department of health in consultation with other state and federal agencies, as well as in consultations with relevant stakeholders including the eating disorders community.
The penalty for violating the law is a fee of no more than $2,000 per violation.
The bill has to be passed by the assembly by June 10, and then signed by the governor, before it becomes law.
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The Natural Products Association (NPA)has previously pointed outthat, while the stated reasoning behind the bill is to protect teenagers from eating disorders caused by supplements, no such link exists: The association filed a Freedom of Information Act request with FDA to determine if there is any association between supplements and eating disorders, and have found no link.NPA has also pointed out that thermogens are found in products containing caffeine, and lipotropics are found in foods including lean cuts of beef, chicken, turkey, and fish, all healthy, recommended foods.
NPA is now taking steps to ask the Governor of New York to veto the bill when it reaches his desk.
