New York Stores Are Now Forbidden to Sell These

April is here and that means that a new law has gone into effect in New York. Yep, just what we all want...another law in the Empire State but this one may actually be helpful.

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There is a new ban at stores that states that the sale of diet pills and weight-loss supplements to children is no longer allowed. It's a move to protect our young ones from the potential dangers from these weight-loss products.

The Lowdown on the Law

In October, Governor Kathy Hochul approved a law that prohibits the sale of over-the-counter diet pills and weight-loss supplements to children in the Empire State. New York is one of the first in the country to pass this law that stops minors under the age of 18 from becoming victims to the marketing tactics from the weight-loss industry.

Age Verification to the Rescue

The new law went into effect on April 1st, and companies (including online retailers) have to get age-verification before selling these products. This means no more sneaky sales to underage kids and it covers all non-prescription pills or supplements labeled for weight loss purposes.

Why the Ban?

State lawmakers see the impact of eating disorders on young people's lives. With nearly 2 million New Yorkers, (9% of the population), having an eating disorder at some point. These disorders harm people and cost the state billions of dollars every year in medical care. In extreme cases, eating disorders can even be fatal, causing over 10,000 deaths each year nationwide.

Questionable Ingredients and Fake Endorsements

Lawmakers also raised concerns about the regulation of dietary supplements. According to studies, some of these products have unapproved pharmaceutical ingredients, illicit anabolic steroids, experimental and banned stimulants, and other hazardous chemicals.

That's not all, there have been instances of deceptive advertising, with companies using fake celebrity endorsements to sell these weight-loss pills and supplements.

Prescription vs. Over-the-Counter

The new law only applies to over-the-counter weight-loss pills and supplements. Prescription anti-obesity medications are under a different category and are regulated tightly. These medications have increased in demand as new drugs hit the market.

They are not cheap and can cost up to $1,000 a month which can make it a problem to afford and getting it covered by your insurance. These medications can be effective but they require continued use to get the proper results.