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State Senate Votes To Ban Ephedra
Associated Press
May 12, 2003, 8:05 PM PDT
SACRAMENTO -- The California Senate voted Monday to outlaw ephedra, the dietary supplement that contributed to the heatstroke death of Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler.
"I don't know how many more deaths we need before we take this product off the shelves," said the author of the bill, Sen. Jackie Speier, D-Daly City, who called ephedra "modern day snake oil."
Bechler, 23, died Feb. 17 after taking ephedra to lose weight at the start of spring training. The Food and Drug Administration says at least 100 deaths have been linked to the supplement, which is available without a prescription.
The National Football League, National Collegiate Athletic Association and International Olympic Committee bar the use of ephedra. Major League Baseball recently banned its use by minor league players, and the players association has urged major leaguers not to use it.
California law already bans the sale of ephedra to minors and requires warning labels on bottles sold to adults.
A 24-14 vote sent Speier's bill to the state Assembly.
Associated Press
May 12, 2003, 8:05 PM PDT
SACRAMENTO -- The California Senate voted Monday to outlaw ephedra, the dietary supplement that contributed to the heatstroke death of Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler.
"I don't know how many more deaths we need before we take this product off the shelves," said the author of the bill, Sen. Jackie Speier, D-Daly City, who called ephedra "modern day snake oil."
Bechler, 23, died Feb. 17 after taking ephedra to lose weight at the start of spring training. The Food and Drug Administration says at least 100 deaths have been linked to the supplement, which is available without a prescription.
The National Football League, National Collegiate Athletic Association and International Olympic Committee bar the use of ephedra. Major League Baseball recently banned its use by minor league players, and the players association has urged major leaguers not to use it.
California law already bans the sale of ephedra to minors and requires warning labels on bottles sold to adults.
A 24-14 vote sent Speier's bill to the state Assembly.
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