NPA President Has Productive Conversation With Sponsor of Massachusetts Bill H34.71
On September 17, 2015, NPA East President, Stephen Distefano had a very productive conversation with the bill sponsor, Massachusetts House Representative Kay Kahn. H34.71, if it passes, it would ban sales of certain muscle building and dietary supplements from all consumers under 18 years old.
- Boston, MA-NH (1888PressRelease) September 23, 2015 - The proposed bill also would force all businesses who sell these supplements to put them behind the counter and explain to purchasers the alleged dangers of taking them.
Representative Khan is a former pediatric psych nurse, who has a special interest in child eating disorders, which is the primary reason she is sponsoring the bill. Distefano pointed out to Representative Khan that, as far as he knows, there have been no reported adverse effects directly attributable to either muscle building or dietary supplements. Distefano said that NPA East is committed to keeping all dangerous products off the shelves and out of consumers hands, and offered to work with representative Khan's office to find common ground that protects consumers "without restricting access to supplements taken by millions of people in the United States with virtually no adverse effects."
"This bill is bad for consumers and bad for Massachusetts business owners."- Stephen Distefano, President, NPA East
However, Distefano did say that there were many over the counter products that are directly linked to serious injury and death. He also believes that this bill might have the opposite effect from the one intended: driving teenagers to far more dangerous options available to them on the shelves of retail stores. He further pointed out that H345.71 would set a bad precedent, by, for the first time, putting a food behind the counter, which could easily "spiral out of control. "What's next, milk?"
Representative Khan and NPA East President Distefano agreed to continue their discussion of H.34.71 before the bill comes up for a vote. "Our goal," said Distefano, "is to reach a fair compromise that protects young consumers but does not restrict the purchase of supplements that are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and have shown no evidence of being harmful when used as directed."
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