FTC Requires Warnings for Herbal Ecstacy

The Federal Trade Commission approved an agreement designed to end what the government said was false advertising by the maker of the diet supplement Herbal Ecstacy. The agreement also requires health warnings on the product’s labels. The action came a day after seven states filed lawsuits to end the sale of Herbal Ecstacy, a product its maker says is not an illegal drug like the well-known Ecstasy. The federal Food and Drug Administration has proposed cracking down on the marketing of Herbal Ecstacy and other products containing ephedrine, citing about 800 injuries and at least 17 deaths linked to the herbal stimulant. The settlement requires that manufacturer Global World Media Corp. of Venice Beach and owner Sean Shayan support any safety claims in all future advertisements with scientific evidence. Shayan contends no injuries or deaths have been linked to the pills he described as diet helpers.