Washington, D.C.— Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) has cosigned the Designer Anabolic Steroid Act (DASCA), legislation designed to give the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) authority to place designer anabolic steroids in the Drug Enforcement Schedules quicker.

The act will also provide more ways to prosecute companies that develop and market anabolic steroids under the guise of supplements. Sen. Heinrich joins Sen. John McCain, (R-AZ) and Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) who introduced the act, in supporting the bill.

In addition to political support, several health and natural products have come together to try and garner support from the build. The coalition includes the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA),Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), Natural Products Association (NPA) and the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA). In a statement, AHPA president Michael McGuffin expressed his pleasure in Sen. Heinrich’s support, remarking that “Just a handful of bad actors selling illegal products can tarnish the regulated supplement industry.” McGuffin also remarked that the added authority that the bill gives federal law enforcement protects not only the industry, but consumers as well.

In a joint statement, the collected associations also stated that the bill will allow the DEA to classify chemicals quicker as well as give them added ability to prosecute criminals making new anabolic substances but slightly tweaking them to avoid legal issues. They also reiterated the support of responsible dietary supplement makers and stakeholders for any laws to punish those who would try and disguise illegal substances as legal supplements.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, July 2014