Score one for the pharmacy companies and take one away from the consumer, at least here in IL, as Rod (the governer) bans the sale of ephedra to save the children. Once again thank you government, because we consumers aren't smart enough to think for ourselves. Just another reason why you don't elect a democrat to office (then again we can go into numerous reasons not to elect a republican too). The ban doesn't do all that much, as most companies were being forced to stop selling ephedra because of the cost of insuring their products, but I guess this makes it official. Let's hope protein powders aren't next on the agenda.


CHICAGO -- Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed the nation's first statewide ban on ephedra Sunday, flanked by the parents of a 16-year-old football player who died of a heart attack after taking the diet supplement.

"It's a good first step but it's not enough,'' Blagojevich said. He and other lawmakers urged other states and the federal government to adopt similar bans.