Washington, D.C. — The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), the leading trade association for the dietary supplement and functional food industry, today reiterated its opposition to Hawaii Senate Bill 2106 (SB 2106), legislation that would prohibit the sale of certain weight management and muscle-building dietary supplements to individuals under the age of 18 and further demand that retailers restrict all consumers’ access to these products by removing them from any self-service display.
While CRN respects and shares the Legislature’s concern for youth health and the seriousness of eating disorders, SB 2106 relies on assumptions that are not supported by scientific evidence and risks significant unintended consequences for consumers, retailers, and the state’s economy.
There is no credible scientific evidence demonstrating a causal relationship between the use of dietary supplements and the development of eating disorders among minors. Eating disorders are complex mental health conditions with a wide range of contributing factors, and policies that single out FDA-regulated dietary supplements will not address the root causes of these conditions or improve outcomes for young people. These restrictions only scapegoat safe and legal products and serve up false hope that restricting them will solve the eating disorder epidemic.
CRN’s opposition was formally conveyed during a virtual legislative hearing on February 2, where Andrea Wong, Ph.D., SVP & Chief Science Officer at CRN, testified in opposition to SB 2106. In her remarks, Dr. Wong emphasized that the bill is not rooted in sound science and risks misleading policymakers and the public.
“SB 2106 is not based on a scientific assessment of risk,” said Wong. “Peer-reviewed research does not support the notion that dietary supplements cause eating disorders, and restricting access to lawful, FDA-regulated products diverts attention from the real, complex drivers of these serious mental health conditions.”
Peer-reviewed research has found no known causal link between dietary supplement use and the onset of eating disorders, and additional studies have concluded that common weight-management ingredients—many of which could be impacted by this bill—are safe when used as directed. Despite this evidence, SB 2106 would restrict access to lawful products that are regulated at the federal level and safely used by millions of Americans.
Beyond its lack of scientific grounding, SB 2106 would impose substantial burdens on Hawaii retailers. Businesses would be required to determine which products fall under the bill’s broad definitions, restructure store layouts, restrict self-service access, and implement age-verification protocols—creating new compliance costs while limiting consumer access to regulated products. These requirements would disproportionately affect grocers, pharmacies, health food stores, and other local retailers, while also increasing enforcement costs for the state.
The legislation also raises significant constitutional concerns. Governors in other states, including California, have vetoed similar proposals, and CRN is currently engaged in federal litigation challenging New York’s enactment of a comparable law. Like the New York statute, SB 2106 would violate First Amendment protections by using lawful and truthful product claims as a proxy for harm without evidentiary support.
The dietary supplement industry plays an important role in Hawaii’s economy, generating more than $220 million in economic impact, supporting nearly 1,000 jobs, and contributing nearly $42 million in tax revenue. Legislation that restricts lawful products without scientific justification threatens consumer choice, economic vitality, and trust in public health policymaking.
CRN remains committed to working collaboratively with Hawaii lawmakers to advance evidence-based approaches that meaningfully support youth health and address eating disorders. However, targeting safe, beneficial, and federally regulated dietary supplements is not an effective solution and may create a false sense of progress while failing to help those most in need.
CRN urges lawmakers to reconsider SB 2106 and respectfully asks that they oppose the bill.
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About CRN: The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973, is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing 180+ 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. Follow us on LinkedIn and X @CRN_Supplements.