Editing Ephedrine (section)

====United States====
In 1997, the [[Food and Drug Administration|FDA]] proposed a regulation on ephedra (the herb from which ephedrine is obtained), which limited an ephedra dose to 8{{nbsp}}mg (of active ephedrine) with no more than 24{{nbsp}}mg per day.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080102053737/http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/fr97064a.html Federal Register: June 4, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 107): Dietary Supplements Containing Ephedrine Alkaloids; Proposed Rule]</ref> This proposed rule was withdrawn, in part, in 2000 because of "concerns regarding the agency's basis for proposing a certain dietary ingredient level and a duration of use limit for these products."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080126192127/http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/fr00043a.html Federal Register: April 3, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 64): Dietary Supplements Containing Ephedrine Alkaloids; Withdrawal in Part]</ref> In 2004, the FDA created a ban on ephedrine alkaloids marketed for reasons other than asthma, colds, allergies, other disease, or traditional Asian use.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070929121300/http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/fr040211.html Federal Register: February 11, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 28): Final Rule Declaring Dietary Supplements Containing Ephedrine Alkaloids Adulterated Because They Present an Unreasonable Risk; Final Rule]</ref> On April 14, 2005, the [[United States District Court for the District of Utah|U.S. District Court for the District of Utah]] ruled the FDA did not have proper evidence that low dosages of ephedrine alkaloids are actually unsafe,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.ephedrinehydrochloride.com/204cv409-28.pdf |title=Nutraceutical Corporation; Solaray, Inc., Plaintiffs-appellees, v. Andrew Von Eschenbach, Acting Commissioner, U.S. Food and Drug Administration; United States Food and Drug Administration; Michael O. Leavitt, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services; Department of Health and Human Services; United States of America | quote = Defendants-appellants, 459 F.3d 1033 (10th Cir. 2006) |access-date= 2010-07-01 |url-status=usurped |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110710194438/http://www.ephedrinehydrochloride.com/204cv409-28.pdf |archive-date= 2011-07-10 }}</ref> but on August 17, 2006, the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit|U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit]] in Denver upheld the FDA's final rule declaring all dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids adulterated, and therefore illegal for marketing in the United States.<ref>{{cite court |litigants= Nutraceutical Corporation; Solaray, Inc. Plaintiffs-Appellees vs. Andrew Von Eschenbach, Acting Commissioner, US.. Food and Drug Administration; United States Food and Drug Administration; Michael O. Leavitt, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services; Department of Health and Human Services; United States of America |opinion= We find that the FDA correctly followed the congressional directive to analyze the risks and benefits of EDS in determining that there is no dosage level of EDS acceptable for the market. |court= United States Court of Appeals Tenth Circuit |date= August 17, 2006 |access-date= 2007-02-16 |url= http://www.ck10.uscourts.gov/opinions/05/05-4151.pdf |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080921084346/http://www.ck10.uscourts.gov/opinions/05/05-4151.pdf |url-status= dead }}</ref> Furthermore, ephedrine is banned by the NCAA, MLB, NFL, and PGA.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.drugfreesport.com/drug-resources/faq.asp |title=Sport Drug Testing – Drug Programs & Policy – Athletics |access-date= 2011-03-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210135236/http://www.drugfreesport.com/drug-resources/faq.asp |archive-date=2011-02-10 }}</ref> Ephedrine is, however, still legal in many applications outside of dietary supplements. Purchasing is currently limited and monitored, with specifics varying from state to state.

The [[United States House of Representatives|House]] passed the [[Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005]] as an amendment to the renewal of the [[USA PATRIOT Act]]. Signed into law by President [[George W. Bush]] on March 6, 2006, the act amended the [[US Code]] (21 USC 830) concerning the sale of products containing ephedrine and the closely related drug [[pseudoephedrine]]. Both substances are used as [[Drug precursors|precursors]] in the [[Clandestine chemistry|illicit production]] of [[methamphetamine]], and to discourage that use the federal statute included the following requirements for merchants who sell these products:

* A retrievable record of all purchases identifying the name and address of each party to be kept for two years
* Required verification of proof of identity of all purchasers
* Required protection and disclosure methods in the collection of personal information
* Reports to the [[United States Attorney General|Attorney General]] of any suspicious payments or disappearances of the regulated products
* Non-liquid dose form of regulated product may only be sold in unit-dose blister packs
* Regulated products are to be sold behind the counter or in a locked cabinet in such a way as to restrict access
* Daily sales of regulated products not to exceed 3.6{{nbsp}}g to a single purchaser, without regard to the number of transactions
* Monthly sales to a single purchaser not to exceed 9{{nbsp}}g of pseudoephedrine base in regulated products

The law gives similar regulations to mail-order purchases, except the monthly sales limit is 7.5{{nbsp}}g.

As a pure herb or tea, ''má huáng'', containing ephedrine, is still sold legally in the US. The law restricts/prohibits its being sold as a dietary supplement (pill) or as an ingredient/additive to other products, like diet pills.