NORTH COUNTY -- Sales of ephedra-based diet supplements will be illegal in California beginning New Year's Day, so for some people who regularly use such products the word is: stock up.

The federal government Tuesday announced its ban on ephedra -- an herbal supplement that aids weight loss and has been linked to serious health problems and hundreds of deaths -- effective in 60 days. But California lawmakers approved a ban in October by passing Senate Bill 592, which takes effect Thursday.

Most nationwide chains, such as General Nutrition Centers and Eckerd drugstores, stopped selling the popular weight-loss products months ago because of the dangers, but a few locally owned stores still had stockpiles of ephedra-based products such as Stacker 2 and Hydroxycut on their shelves Tuesday.

At Nutri-Sport in Oceanside, a saleswoman placed a "Last chance to buy" sign in the window.

"People will buy six (bottles) at a time," said Dan Sittaer, a salesman. "There are tons of people swarming in. It's good for business this time of year."

Beth Ann Suvanyi, general manager of Nutri-Sport and three Max Muscle stores throughout North County, had not pulled dozens of ephedra-based products off the shelves as of Tuesday afternoon.

According to Senate Bill 582, Suvanyi has until midnight tonight to clear the shelves, said Robert Herrill, an aide to Sen. Jackie Speier, D-San Francisco, who wrote the bill this year.

"The law is pretty clear: it is illegal to sell ephedra products in California as of Jan. 1. It would be the same as selling any substance that is illegal," he said.

California was the second state to ban the sale of ephedra, after Illinois. New York, in November, became the third.

Suvanyi said ephedra products have always been a top seller. "If we can't sell it we will have to send it back to the manufacturers," she said. "This (law) is stupid. (Lawmakers) are not thinking of the small-business owners. Ephedra's not what's killing people; it's people misusing it that kills."

She said she has used the products off and on for the last five years, adding that it is not safe for everyone. "We ask people if they have heart problems before we sell it. We can't stop someone from buying it, but we can talk to them about (ephedra)."

Some dieters are cautious of the products.

Shopping Tuesday for vitamins at Jimbo's health-food store in Escondido, Rancho Bernardo resident Christina Robinson, 33, said she has never used any products that contain ephedra.

"I think it's good," she said of the ban. "You keep hearing about all these problems, but people don't listen and go right on using them. I think the government needs to step in."

Escondido resident Kathleen Phillips agreed. She stopped by the Escondido Target store to pick up a pack of SlimFast diet shakes, which are in the same aisle as several types of supplements and fat-burners aimed at dieters.

"I was always afraid to try (ephedra products) because of all the stories about their side effects, so the ban won't really affect me," said Phillips, 29. "But it's the Food and Drug Administration's job to certify that things that are being sold are safe."

Staff writer Andrea Moss and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Contact staff writer Louise Cannon at (760) 901-4151 or lcannon@nctimes.com.