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New Jersey has become the eighth state in the US to ban the sale of cosmetics that have been newly tested on animals.
Gov. Phil Murphy, D-NJ, signed the legislation last week. It passed unanimously in both the New Jersey State Senate and Assembly.
State Senator Joseph Lagana, D-Paramus, and State Assemblyman Anthony Verrelli, D-Trenton, were the primary sponsors.
They were joined by an “extensive list” of bipartisan cosponsors, a press release says. Nearly 1,000 brands including Lush and US Organic Group signed on in support of the legislation.
Public opinion
The new law aligns with the public’s stance on animal experiments. A 2019 survey found that 79 percent of American adults were against animal testing for cosmetics.
Vicki Katrinak is the director of Animal Research and Testing for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
“In the passage of this law, New Jersey has recognized overwhelming public opinion that animals should not suffer to test cosmetic products or ingredients,” Katrinak commented.
“With a growing number of non-animal test methods available, there is no ethical justification to continue harming animals for the sake of shampoo, mascara, or aftershave. Thank you to Assemblyman Verrelli and Senator Lagana for their leadership on this bill and Governor Murphy for signing this important bipartisan legislation,” she added.
Bans on animal testing for cosmetics are becoming growingly favorable; out of the eight states that have banned it, five of them did so this year. New Jersey joins California, Nevada, Illinois, Virginia, Maryland, Maine and Hawaii in ending sales of such products.
