Say No to 'Johnson and Johnson'

For some reason, Johnson and Johnson still exists. Not only does it exist, but new mothers everywhere flock to purchase their products. Did you know that in the last three months, Johnson and Johnson has been ordered to pay out over $120 million dollars in two legal cases linking their products to cancer?

Read more Here.

Both of these cases were in relation to the talcum-based Johnson’s baby powder and ‘Shower to Shower’ products. We have known for years that talcum powder, formaldehyde, and 1,4 dioxine are linked to cancer, but yet these ingredients are still used without a second thought in the US. Somehow, Johnson and Johnson sells products free of these cancer-causing toxins across the world. But here? No. Here, it’s cancer on the shelves. And we are putting it on our babies!

The government needs to hold companies accountable. The US Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel is a non-government body that is in charge of determining the safety of cosmetic ingredients. Since they share an office with the Cosmetic’s Industry Trade Association, I’d assume that they may not be reporting the exact truth. Even if they were, because this is outside of our government’s authority, the cosmetic companies have no legal obligation to label or report any unsafe ingredient findings. Basically, they can keep doing this.

Johnson & Johnson has been targeted in the past by health and consumer groups over harmful ingredients in other products including its Johnson's No More Tears baby shampoo. In May 2009, a coalition of groups called the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics began pushing Johnson & Johnson to eliminate questionable ingredients from its baby and adult personal care products. After three years of petitions, negative publicity and a boycott threat, the company agreed in 2012 to eliminate the ingredients 1,4-dioxane and formaldehyde, both considered probable human carcinogens, from all products by 2015.

But it is 2018.

Time Magazine is also asking for change. It is time that we stood strong and rallied our money to make a point. Boycott Johnson & Johnson by choosing your products wisely. Keep your children (and yourself) safe.