As reported in February by NutraIngredients-USA, DASCA would ensure anabolic steroids are not misrepresented as legitimate dietary supplements by broadening the definition and imposing tougher penalties on firms making and selling them.
The Act seeks to amend the Controlled Substances Act to add more than 25 new substances to current lists of defined anabolic steroids, and revises the process whereby new substances can be added in future.
It also creates tougher penalties (up to $2.5m and up to 10 years in prison) for the manufacture, sale and/or distribution of substances that meet the definition.
“The introduction of the House bill is the next step toward full passage of a much-needed law that will further empower the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with new tools to identify and quickly respond when new designer anabolic steroids are introduced and falsely marketed as dietary supplements,” said Mike Greene, vice president, government relations for the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN).
CRN commended Pitts and Pallone and said it is leading the charge for the dietary supplement industry, canvassing legislative offices on Capitol Hill in support of DASCA.
“More than 150 million Americans take dietary supplements and they deserve convenient and affordable access to a wide array of these beneficial products, but anabolic steroids have no business being sold as supplements,” said Steve Mister, president & CEO, CRN.
“Responsible stakeholders within the dietary supplement industry consistently encourage congressional and regulatory action to rid the marketplace of illegal products that masquerade as dietary supplements. Anabolic steroids are not dietary supplements.”