California will prohibit stores and online sellers from selling over-the-counter diet pills and dietary supplements marketed for weight loss or muscle building to anyone under 18 without a prescription. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the measure, Assembly Bill 2030, on Sept. 28 as part of a package of health bills that also created a state label for foods that are not ultra-processed.
The governor’s office said nearly 1 in 10 adolescents have used these products and that young people who use over-the-counter diet pills are six times more likely than nonusers to be diagnosed with an eating disorder within three years. California is the second state to restrict these sales to minors, following New York, whose law took effect in April 2024, NutraIngredients reported.
The law does not remove these products from store shelves, and adults can still buy them.
Rules Stores and Online Sellers Must Follow
The law, written by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, a Long Beach Democrat, bars anyone from selling, offering to sell, or giving away as a promotion an over-the-counter diet pill or a dietary supplement for weight loss or muscle building to a person under 18 in California. Minors with a prescription for the product are exempt.
Stores must ask for valid identification when they cannot reasonably judge whether a buyer is under 18. Online and delivery sellers must confirm a buyer’s age either by checking the buyer’s name, birth date, and address against a commercially available database or by using a shipping method that requires an adult to sign for the package, according to the chaptered bill text for Assembly Bill 2030.
Businesses that break the law face civil penalties of up to $500 per violation. The state attorney general, county counsel, or city attorneys can go to court to stop violations. The penalties apply to sellers, not to young people who try to buy the products, and the law does not carry criminal penalties.
The governor’s announcement did not list an effective date for AB 2030. Under California’s standard rule, laws passed without an urgency clause take effect on Jan. 1 of the following year, which in this case is Jan. 1, 2027.
The same package included AB 2244, a separate law by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel that creates a voluntary “Non-Ultraprocessed Certified” seal for qualifying foods, overseen by the California Department of Public Health.
Health Risks Behind the Ban
Dietary supplements do not need Food and Drug Administration approval before they are sold, and the FDA warns that products sold for weight loss and bodybuilding are among those most likely to contain hidden drug ingredients. The governor’s office said these products can carry dangerous side effects, are often mislabeled, and may contain harmful substances such as steroids. Many weight-loss products contain stimulants, laxatives, or diuretics, which can cause a rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, dehydration, and digestive problems.
For teens, the larger concern is the link to disordered eating. Adolescence is a period of rapid growth, and restricting food can affect bone development, hormones, and heart health. Research has found that young people who use diet pills or laxatives for weight control are more likely to later be diagnosed with an eating disorder, though that research shows an association rather than proof that the products cause the disorders.
Muscle-building supplements raise separate concerns, especially for teen boys and young athletes who may take them to meet appearance or sports pressures.
Supporters and Industry Critics
Public health advocates praised the law. “Today, Newsom signed historic public health legislation banning the sale of certain over-the-counter supplements to minors,” said Jensen Jose, senior regulatory counsel at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, according to Nutrition Insight.
The supplement industry opposed the measure. Steve Mister, president and CEO of the Council for Responsible Nutrition, said protecting young people from eating disorders “is an important objective that we share.” He argued that the goal calls for policies “grounded in evidence” rather than “broad restrictions that cast suspicion on lawful products without establishing that those restrictions will address the problem.”
Daniel Fabricant, president and CEO of the Natural Products Association, said that when states create their own restrictions for products already covered by federal rules, “the result is an increasingly unworkable patchwork of conflicting requirements for manufacturers, retailers and consumers.”
Warning Signs and Help for Families
Teens who play sports with weight classes or who spend a lot of time on fitness and diet content online may see more marketing for these products.
Parents may notice empty pill bottles, packages from online supplement sellers, skipped meals, secretive eating, rapid weight changes, excessive exercise, or an intense focus on body size. Mood changes, dizziness, fainting, missed periods, or a racing heartbeat are reasons to see a doctor.
Calm, open conversations tend to work better than confrontation. Ask what your teen has seen online, and focus on health and energy rather than weight. Pediatricians can screen for eating disorders and check heart rate and blood pressure.
Help is available. The National Alliance for Eating Disorders offers referrals to care and free support groups through its helpline at 866-662-1235. Fainting, chest pain, confusion, or a very slow or irregular heartbeat requires emergency care.
Key Questions Answered
What does California’s new law do?
It bans selling over-the-counter diet pills and dietary supplements for weight loss or muscle building to anyone under 18 without a prescription.
When does the law take effect?
The governor’s office did not list a date. California laws without an urgency clause generally take effect on Jan. 1 of the following year, which would be Jan. 1, 2027.
Does the law apply to online sales?
Yes. Online and delivery sellers must verify a buyer’s age through a commercial database check or require an adult’s signature at delivery.
What are the penalties?
Sellers face civil penalties of up to $500 per violation. Teens who try to buy the products are not penalized.
Why are diet pills risky for teens?
They can cause heart, blood pressure, and digestive problems, and their use is associated with a higher chance of a later eating disorder diagnosis.
Where can families get help for eating disorders?
The National Alliance for Eating Disorders offers referrals and free support groups through its helpline at 866-662-1235, and pediatricians can screen teens for eating disorders.
Published by Medicaldaily.com
