MCAmerican Governments Cosmetic animal testing is a method that is outdated and should be banned federally. A cosmetic product is defined as any product that is intended to come in contact with external parts of the human body. This includes products used for hygiene, makeup, or fragrance. Cosmetic animal testing is a process that is used as a way to ensure products are safe for human use. In society we deem unethical to try a new ingredient on a human being, so instead the product is tested on animals to ensure its effectiveness or safety. This is an important issue to raise awareness about because extreme animal cruelty is involved during cosmetic animal testing.
When a company labels their brand or even products on the packaging as cruelty free, this means they have used other methods to test their products on, and do not use animals. Many successful companies have already adopted alternative to animal testing. There are thousands of ingredients already out on the market that have been proven safe for consumer use, therefore companies will often use those ingredients in their products to avoid further testing. Companies also have the option of using non-animal tests for new ingredients, with over 50 different effective methods created. Some of the most popular methods used are: Invitro, tests on human cells and tissue; Insilico, computer model techniques; and human volunteers. So why is animal testing still in practice when there are better alternatives that offer better results? Companies believe that animal testing can be used for defense against court cases in the occasion of a consumer having a negative effect to their product. They also perform new animal tests to evaluate the safety of new ingredients. Although this method has been preferred in the past, thousands of large companies have evolved and found more effective, less cruel, and cheaper alternatives. The only way to keep companies from continuing to use this method is to instate a federal law banning cosmetic animal testing. In the latest election there were no laws passed to ban animal testing. Although states like California have passed laws against cosmetic animal testing, there is a push to have it banned federally. Currently the Animal Welfare Act is the only federal law regulating animal testing. The AWA states that animals used for testing need to be provided proper shelter, medical care, food, water and treatment. Not only is this law never regulated to ensure compliance, but this law excludes animals like rats, mice, and birds. There are also exceptions to this law. If the scientists feels that certain conditions will hinder the experiment, then the law does not apply. A new Federal bill, The Humane Cosmetic Act, was presented to Congress in 2014 and presented in three other session of congress. This bill has never had a hearing, but is expecting to be introduced to Congress again in 2019. This bill, “prohibits testing cosmetics on animals, effective on the date that is one year after enactment of this bill. No cosmetic may be sold or transported if the final product or any component was developed or manufactured using animal testing after that date, effective three years after enactment of this bill” (H.R.2790, 2017). The representative for this act is Martha McSally, Arizona's US Senator, who has just been elected into Senate in 2019. Aside from federal laws, there are some states that have passed laws to regulate animal testing. In 2000, California became the first state to pass a law requiring companies to use non animal testing alternatives that are validated by ICCVAM. New York and New Jersey passed the same law in 2007. In 2018, California updates this law and passed The California Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act, authored by state Senator, Cathleen Galgiani, and signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown. This law prohibits import for profit, sell, or offer for sale any cosmetic product that was developed or made using an animal test. This law takes effect on Jan. 1, 2020. Although this law sounds effective, there are many loopholes within this law that can still allow some degree of animal testing. One of the major issues is this law allows manufactures to sell animal tested products in California, if they funded the animal test to meet the requirements of other countries they sell to. For example, China's law requires all imported cosmetic products to be tested on animals. Though this is a huge flaw in the law, it is a step in the right direction. Many people are hoping that California’s new law is going to influence other states to create the same changes, or even have an influence federally. According to the Huffington Post article, “California Just Officially Banned the Sale of Animal-Tested Cosmetics, U.S. Supporters and Vicki Katrinak, the program manager for animal research issues at the Humane Society of the United States stated, “they hoped the California law will encourage other state laws or changes at the federal level. We’re hopeful this law will encourage the federal government to pass the Humane Cosmetics Act” (Hanson, 2018). Not only are people hoping new laws will influence other states to make changes, but companies who still practice animal testing as well. Assembly member Linda B. Rosenthal stated the, “cosmetics industry was forced to respond to public clamor for environmentally conscious and safe cosmetics by creating paraben-free, BHA-free cosmetics and green cosmetics. Now the public is demanding cruelty-free cosmetics because many understand one can't look or feel beautiful if animals must suffer for it” (Engebretson, 2018). With pressures from different states, there is hope that the Humane Cosmetics Act will be passed the next time it is presented to Congress in 2019.
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AuthorUndergraduate student generated content. Blog posting and updating done by Kristina Flores Victor, Assistant Professor of Political Science at CSUS Archives
March 2020
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