California Bans Supplements With Ephedrine
13 October 2003

Law Becomes Effective 1 January 2004

California Governor Gray Davis yesterday signed SB 582, a bill that will make sales in California of dietary supplements that contain any amount of "ephedrine group alkaloids" a crime as of 1 January 2004.

The law, introduced by Senator Jackie Speier (D-San Francisco/San Mateo), is not relevant to over-the-counter or prescription drugs that contain ephedrine alkaloids and such products will continue to be readily available in the state.

In addition, licensed health care practitioners will be exempted from the ban, except that the legislation places a statutory restriction on such practitionersÕ scope of practice by specifically criminalizing their dispensing of ephedrine-containing supplements for weight loss, body building, or athletic performance enhancement. The law also clearly states that sale of dietary supplements that contain ephedrine alkaloids "directly to a licensed health care practitioner" and to "a licensed pharmacist" will continue to be legal when the product is for the purpose of treatment of patients under the direct care of a health care practitioner.

Click on this link to view the bill as passed by the California legislature (PDF format).

Source

American Herbal Products Association.