WASHINGTON, D.C., May 9, 2018 – The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), the leading trade association for the dietary supplement and functional food industry, today applauds the Massachusetts Legislature for pulling from the floor HB 1195, a bill that would ban the sale of weight-loss and muscle-building dietary supplements to minors and place an economic burden on Massachusetts’ retailers. The bill has been sent to a study by the Joint Committee on Public Health (JCPH), effectively ending any prospect for passage in this legislative session.
“This bill does nothing more than attempt to restrict consumer access to safe, legal, and strictly-regulated products,” said Mike Greene, senior vice president, government relations, CRN. “CRN thanks legislators in Massachusetts for recognizing the needless burden HB 1195 would place on consumers and businesses alike.”
CRN has aggressively fought against this legislation since it was first introduced in 2015. Partnering with like-minded organizations, CRN worked with a strong coalition of opposition and testified twice before the JCPH to defend consumer access to safe dietary supplements and to highlight the ways in which the bill does not achieve any clear public health objective.
“Consumers are well-protected under the stringent federal regulatory structure,” continued Mr. Greene. “While we’re always seeking ways to enhance consumer safety, HB 1195 did nothing to achieve this. It is misguided and the arguments made by the bill’s proponents are broad, unproven, and not applicable to dietary supplements. If passed, HB 1195 would prevent responsible consumers from purchasing weight-loss and fitness supplements that are backed by considerable scientific evidence and a long history of safe use. Further, the bill would place an economic burden on Massachusetts’ 400 private retail establishments and 300 registered pharmacies that carry these products.”
Although the chance of HB 1195 being pulled from study and resurfacing during this legislative session is unlikely, CRN will not rest on its laurels. The association will continue monitoring for similar legislation in Massachusetts and other state legislatures to ensure the more than 170 million Americans who take dietary supplements each year can continue to access the products they trust and depend on for overall health and wellness.
Note to Editor: The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973, is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing 150+ dietary supplement and functional food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and companies providing services to those manufacturers and suppliers. In addition to complying with a host of federal and state regulations governing dietary supplements and food in the areas of manufacturing, marketing, quality control and safety, our manufacturer and supplier members also agree to adhere to additional voluntary guidelines as well as to CRN’s Code of Ethics. Visit www.crnusa.org. Follow us on Twitter @CRN_Supplements and LinkedIn.