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California has just become the first state to officially ban the sale of all cosmetics tested on animals.
In August, the California state assembly voted unanimously on the California Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act (Bill-SS-1249) and on August 31, California Governor Jerry Brown officially signed the bill into law.
The Act written by Democratic Senator Cathleen Galgiani bans manufacturers from importing for profit, selling, or offering to sell any cosmetics tested on animals after January 1, 2020.
We’re hopeful this law will encourage the federal government to pass the Humane Cosmetics Act,” Vicki Katrinak, the program manager for animal research issues at the Humane Society of the United States, told the Huffington Post.
The Humane Cosmetics Act, a federal bill that seeks to ban animal testing on cosmetics nation-wide, was introduced to Congress last year but has not yet been passed.
Laws banning animal testing in cosmetics already exist in 37 countries worldwide, such as the European Union, Brazil, New Zealand, India, Israel, and South Korea.
The federal bill is spearheaded by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and Social Compassion in Legislation. Private companies, such as Lush, which is famous for eco-friendly and cruelty-free practices, have been working with the Human Society to advocate for the bill and is also encouraging consumers to voice their concerns.
If you live in the United States or Canada you can sign their pledge here. They are also using hashtag #BeCrueltyFree to engage an international movement against animal-testing.
Animal testing has become obsolete in an era where toxicological tests are so advanced. In fact, Lush has already invested approximately $2 million in researching the irrelevance of animal-testing. Furthermore, PETA explains that cruelty-free R&D methods are actually cheaper, faster, and superior to animal testing, and include 3D tissue structures and advanced computer models.
California’s new ban is a groundbreaking legislation that will hopefully encourage states, companies, and individuals to rethink harmful practices.
“Banning animal-tested cosmetics in California will encourage manufacturers to clean up their act and stop selling animal-tested products across the United States. Passage of the California Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act would be a win for human and animal lives,” stated Kristie Sullivan, vice-president of research policy with the Physicians Committee.
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