The obvious irony of the Ephedra Ban

And then they decry that the kids don't get any exercise outdoors anymore. Hasn't anyone else noted that we have an obesity epidemic in this country and ephedra is one of the tools useful in that fight?

Yes, ephedra has some risks. But you just cannot evaluate risks without considering benefits in the same breath. My guess is that obesity has far more risks than ephedra.

...> Hasn't anyone else noted that we have an obesity epidemic in this

Useful tool? Maybe for someone extremely disciplined in diet and exercise so they can get their BF% down that last few points before a competition, but in the case of the obesity epidemic, it is part of the problem.

I don't think ephedra is a good idea for someone overweight, who probably doesn't exercise, and has poor heart health and probably hypertension. It just contributes to the 'why put forth any effort when you can just take a pill' mentality.

For the cost of lifetime of gym memberships, you could probably just get liposuction and implants-o-rama to make you look like you're buff, and you'd have instant gratification without any hard work or patience.

Education and behavior modification is the key to solving the problem, not another miracle cure.

Reread above. It said 'ephedra is one of the tools' not the only tool not the only one.

I disagree. I work out six times a week and am a restrained eater. I got obese during a phase of my life when I wasn't able to put self-care on my priority list. I do not have hypertension or heart disease. I do have excess fat that is slowly being whittled away (a pound a week for the last eight months.)

Ephedrine has helped me at times when a stimulant would be useful. I use it judiciously as one of the tools in my bag of tricks. It helps me to get an energy boost without reaching for extra calories. It helps to reduce my appetite. And it helps me to burn fat.

Who said anything about a miracle cure? It wouldn't work if I weren't exercising and watching my food intake. But it certainly helps me when I am. (Note that I've only used it about a quarter of the time; when a stimulant would be useful for me.) It helps me. It serves my purpose. Why would you want to take away a tool I find useful in the fight against obesity? That makes as much sense as outlawing yoga. Will yoga alone cure obesity? Doubt it. But it helps a bit for some people and that is good enough in combination.

I never said it should be taken away. With the current advertising bull$hit that makes up 40% of every fitness magazine out there, it seems to be touted as a miracle cure to those who want to look like those folks in the magazine ad. You certainly know that it wouldn't work if you didn't diet and exercise, and yes, it helps you when you do. You also don't rely on it for 95% of your weight loss plan effectiveness. I'd just like to see more responsible advertising and better education. Those who diet and exercise, and use ephedra for a lift and a little help aren't the ones that are dying and screwing it up for everyone else.

Those who diet and exercise,

What a common sense sentence. Question is: what do we do about the ones screwing it up for everyone else? I'd like to line them up against a wall and shoot em.