Ephedrine is approved by the FDA as a drug for human consumption, but because it is a precursor for several scheduled drugs (methamphetamine & methcathinone), it is highly regulated. Possession of ephedrine is legal, but sales of large quantities are monitored and many states heavily regulate the forms and methods in which it is sold.

The FDA banned the sale of ephedrine in over-the-counter dietary supplements in early 2004. See FDA's February 2004 Announcement. Although the ban was temporarily in question when a federal judge ruled it invalid, the US Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals found in favor of the FDA; as of August 2006, a ban is in place on the sale of any product containing ephedra-alkaloids and ephedrine that has not been specifically approved by the FDA.

As of 2006, retailers in the United States are required to collect the signatures of every person purchasing pseudoephedrine-containing products in log books and view a photo ID for every purchase of any product for which the entire box contains more than 60mg of pseudoephedrine. The "Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005" provides for criminal penalties for non compliance and limits the maximum amount an individual can buy to 9 grams of pseudoephedrine per any 30 day period:

This makes it unlawful for any person to knowingly or intentionally purchase at retail more than 9 grams during a 30 day period (of which no more than 7.5 grams can be imported by private or commercial carrier or the Postal Service). -- CME 2005

• DEA Page on 'Combat Methamphetamine act of 2005
• FDA's Statement about Tenth Circuit Ruling, Aug 21 2006
• Stephen Barrett's summary of this ruling
• Federal Judge Strikes Down Ephedra Ban, Apr 14 2005, AP
• FDA Announces Plan to Prohibit Ephedra Supplements, Dec 30 2003

Possession of ephedrine and ephedra products remains legal, with the caveat described above that buying too much in a short period can result in criminal penalties.