On Nov. 26, 2024, Consultant Dr. Suleman Lalani (D-TX) filed Home Invoice 1474 (HB 1474), which might prohibit the sale of weight reduction and muscle constructing dietary dietary supplements to minors. The invoice was submitted for the 2025 legislative session, which begins on Jan. 14.
“An individual could not promote, provide to promote, or give away, as both a retail or wholesale promotion, an over-the-counter weight reduction drug or dietary complement to a person youthful than 18 years of age,” the invoice states.
Texas is now the most recent state to introduce a dietary complement age restriction invoice. Since late 2023, there have been comparable payments filed in Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey. The Council for Accountable Diet (CRN) and the Pure Merchandise Affiliation (NPA) filed a number of lawsuits towards New York’s invoice.
If handed, the invoice would go into impact on Sept. 1, 2025, with compliance starting Dec. 1, 2025.
CRN and NPA responded to the Texas invoice and NPA offered a type letter on its web site encouraging Texans to oppose it.
“The members of the Texas state legislature have constantly acknowledged the constructive results of dietary supplements and well being merchandise, and are actively pursuing methods to develop entry,” NPA wrote. “But, on this upcoming legislative session, Rep. Suleman Lalani is ready to introduce Texas Home Invoice 1474, which threatens to limit entry to important dietary dietary supplements. Whereas many people are working towards more healthy life, this invoice would restrict our means to make knowledgeable well being selections and limit entry to the well being merchandise we use day by day.”
CRN expressed “vital issues” about HB 1474 as at the moment written. It shares lawmakers’ dedication to selling client security however believes the laws is overly broad and will “inadvertently affect reliable dietary dietary supplements with out addressing the foot reason behind public well being issues.”
“There isn’t any causal connection between dietary dietary supplements and consuming issues, and we warning towards coverage measures that perpetuate this false impression. The dietary complement business is dedicated to the accountable manufacturing and advertising and marketing of merchandise that help well being and wellness. H.B. 1474’s provisions, together with the requirement to limit entry to sure merchandise by putting them behind the counter or in locked instances, elevate critical questions in regards to the sensible and financial impacts on retailers and producers, in addition to the provision of reliable merchandise to customers,” CRN mentioned.
CRN added it’s actively assessing the potential penalties of the laws on its business and the dietary complement market, stating, “We stay devoted to collaborating with lawmakers once they convene in 2025 to handle our issues and work towards laws that’s each efficient and equitable. We look ahead to partaking with stakeholders in Austin to make sure that public well being measures are guided by sound science and a balanced understanding of the problems at hand.”
For extra info and to learn the total invoice, go to https://house.texas.gov.
