California will require retailers to check identification before selling certain weight-loss and muscle-building supplements to people who could be under 18 beginning January 1, 2027, under a law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom (D). Assembly Bill 2030, authored by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), bars sales of over-the-counter diet pills and dietary supplements marketed or represented for weight loss or muscle building to minors unless the buyer has a prescription.
Covered products include those containing ingredients such as creatine, green tea extract, and green coffee bean extract, as well as items whose labeling or placement suggests effects on appetite, metabolism, strength, or body composition. Creatine itself is not prohibited for adults, but stores must request valid identification from any shopper who does not appear to be an adult. Online sellers must verify purchaser details against government-sourced databases or use adult-signature delivery that requires photo identification. Violations can draw a $500 civil fine per incident, enforceable by the state attorney general or local prosecutors, who may also seek injunctions.
Lowenthal linked the measure to social media marketing aimed at teenagers and “looksmaxxing” trends, stating that children are being pushed to buy untested supplements promising dramatic physical effects. Industry groups, including the Council for Responsible Nutrition and the American Herbal Products Association, opposed the bill’s broad criteria, warning that products such as protein, fiber, multivitamins, and vitamin D could fall under the restrictions because of their legitimate roles in metabolism or muscle maintenance.
Contrast with Voting Rules.
California does not generally require voters to present identification at the polls. Under state practice and the Help America Vote Act, ID is requested only in limited cases involving first-time federal-election voters who registered by mail or online and did not provide a California ID number or the last four digits of a Social Security number. Even then, acceptable documents include non-photo items such as a utility bill or bank statement. In 2024, Newsom signed SB 1174, which prohibits local governments from imposing photo ID requirements for voting unless mandated by state or federal law. A 2026 ballot measure that would have established statewide government-issued ID requirements for in-person and mail voting was defeated.
The new supplement rules therefore create a situation in which a young adult seeking creatine marketed for muscle building must produce identification, while most young adult voters in the same state may cast a ballot without showing any form of ID.
