US state of Hawaii makes progress in ending animal tests
We received great news from the US last week as senators in Hawaii announced the introduction of two new bills backed by Cruelty Free International which would help end cruel and unnecessary animal tests in the state.
The Hawaii Cruelty Free Cosmetics Act will ban the sale of any cosmetic product that has been tested on animals. If passed, the ban would come into effect in January 2020. Hawaii will join over 30 countries including the European Union, Norway, Israel, and India in prohibiting the sale of new animal tested cosmetics.
A second bill would make it compulsory for manufacturers and laboratories in the state to use scientifically approved non-animal alternatives for cosmetics or household product testing. California, New York and New Jersey have all had similar laws in place for over ten years.
Monica Engebretson, North America Campaign Manager for Cruelty Free International, said: “In the past 30 years, there have been great strides in the development and use of modern non-animal testing approaches that are often faster and better at predicting human response than the animal tests they replace. Moreover, the public overwhelmingly strongly supports alternatives to animal testing and countries around are increasingly prohibiting the sale cosmetics that have been tested on animals.”
