Ask Your Legislators for Co-Sponsorship
You can find your State Representative and Senator by entering your address on malegislature.gov’s “Find My Legislator” page. Call, email, or leave a voicemail asking your Senator and Representative to co-sponsor both bills by February 1, 2019. Make sure to customize the information in [brackets].
I’m a constituent [calling or writing] with a co-sponsorship request. I am asking [Senator or Representative Name] to sign on to An Act Protecting Children From Harmful Diet Pills and Muscle-Building Supplements, which was filed by Rep. Kay Khan and An Act Making Discrimination on the Basis of Height and Weight Unlawful which was filed by Sen. Rausch and Rep. Nguyen.
An Act Protecting Children From Harmful Diet Pills and Muscle-Building Supplements would limit the sale of diet pills and muscle-building supplements to adults over the age of 18 only, and would require stores and pharmacies to keep these products behind the counter. These products can be dangerous, contributing to eating disorders and even death. This makes keeping minors from accessing them an important public health issue. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the nation’s leading pediatrician group, strongly cautions against teens using any diet pills or muscle-building supplements. This bill would not restrict adult use of these products; adults 18 years and older would be free to purchase these products by asking pharmacy staff or a store supervisor for help.
An Act Making Discrimination on the Basis of Height and Weight Unlawful would would ban discrimination on the basis of height and weight in employment, housing, and public accommodation, except where such discrimination reflects compliance with established safety standards. Stigma and discrimination against people with large bodies is a pervasive and significant risk factor for eating disorders.
More information is available here. I hope [Representative or Senator Name] will sign on to these bills through the LAWS system before 5:00 pm on Friday, February 1.
Sincerely,
[Name]
