Posted on 05/12/2004 9:36:21 AM PDT by tdadams
In one of the most reactionary moves in recent memory, the Federal government early this year instituted a ban on all sales of the wildly popular diet product ephedra.
A smattering of high profile deaths from people who should not have been using ephedra, but nonetheless did, drove a campaign to have the product taken off the market.
Not one to think anecdotes are a good substitute for science and empirical data, I don't believe there was any justification in taking ephedra off the market. I still believe the ban ought to be revisited and overturned.
Nonetheless, the aftermath of the ban is a fascinating study in what happens when the government seeks to prohibit people from using a product they are intent on using.
The supply shrinks, the price goes up, and a blackmarket is created. Silly criminalization of once innocuous behavior creates criminals out of millions of dieters seeking a little help from a product that is effective and safe, when used properly.
What results is that you have people willing to not only break the law to buy the product, but also willing to pay $120 a bottle for a product that used to be on the shelves of your local GNC store for $20.
Walter Williams has a few wise words on this subject.
I think the ban on ephedra was extrodinarily silly, completely unnecessary, and woefully hasty. It's also one more blow to the idea that we are a self-directed people who do not need a Big Nanny telling us what we may injest.
I don't see that the Federal government has any place concerning itself with the voluntary marketplace of diet products.
The Feds had to step in so as to protect market share for their pharmaceutical campaign donors. Look for a high-priced prescription version coming soon to a pharmacy near you.
Lovely...
Well, I won't need to sweat that for a while. I had 18 bottles of Stacker 2 come the ban.
Now, it's up to a judge.
Any word on that case? I know an injunction was denied, but I also heard there was supposedly a trail set up at some point...
Naw, NOBODY saw that one coming when they banned ephedra.
Heh.
Hoarder!
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