Massachusetts Is Attempting Again to Put Safe Dietary Supplements Behind the Counter!
Here we go again; Massachusetts is once again attempting to restrict your right to purchase sports supplements. State Representative Kay Khan just reintroduced a bill to restrict the sale of dietary supplements that promote weight loss or muscle building. If Khan has his way, all muscle building and weight loss supplements sold in Massachusetts be placed behind the counter, the same way cigarettes are. Retail stores caught in violation of the law would be fined up to $2000. This bill sounds to me like another government tax grab. Of course, they can't promote it as increased revenue for the state, so they are hiding it behind this title: "An Act protecting children from harmful diet pills and muscle-building supplements." I didn't realize that we had a problem with kids buying $40 tubs of protein, but I guess we do and we need the government, and not parents, to step in and watch out for us. Think about the impact of this ridiculously stupid law. Retail stores will have to put every sport and weight loss supplement behind the counter and out of your reach. For stores like Vitamin Shoppe and GNC that's just about every product on the shelves. They would have to rebuild their stores just to keep you away from all the products, except maybe the fish oil. It won't be as difficult as it seems; stores can just reverse the store layout, and squeeze you – the customer, into the little vestibule behind the counter. Then the sales rep, (or if the local government has their – babysitter), can stand in front of you where they can guard all the supplements. Forget about browsing; now you'll need the sales rep to show you each product, but not until they check your ID against that "WE ID" calendar like they do in liquor stores. It's just one more step toward becoming a nanny state. Last year, Khan introduced a similar bill with a $300 fine which failed to get passed, so now he's upped the ante to $2000 and trying again. It's just another tax grab by a lame politician masquerading behind the guise of protecting you while just stealing more of your hard-earned cash. I guess it's time for Congress to expand the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and add in supplements. Millions of Americans safely use dietary supplements daily; why should residents of Massachusetts have their access restricted? Take action by clicking on the link below. TAKE ACTION NOW