Oregon Advances Ban on Supplements for High Schoolers

Oregon Advances Ban on Supplements for High Schoolers

SALEM, Ore.A bill movingthrough t h e Oregon state legislature(http://landru.lge.state.or.us) would make it illegal for school employeesincludingcoachesto promote or supply performance-enhancing dietary supplements tostudents. The bill defines performance-enhancing compounds as anything that isnot an essential vitamin or mineral and is intended to increase athletic orintellectual performance.

Originally introduced in mid-February, Senate Bill 6 waspassed by the Senate 23-2 at the end of March; at press time, the bill was underconsideration by the House. The idea for the bill was generated by the Oregon SchoolActivities Association, following a 2003 situation in which a high schoolfootball coach who was a partowner of a dietary supplement company soldcreatine-based supplements to his players.