Johnson & Johnson and several retailers face a lawsuit alleging a violation of California law by failing to warn consumers of talc dangers.

According to the talc powder lawsuit, Johnson & Johnson, Bausch Health, Target, Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, and other companies violate California’s Proposition 65. This statute requires companies to include a cancer warning on their products if it contains ingredients which may be carcinogenic.

Plaintiff Jan G. claims that the companies’ talc products expose consumers to carcinogens through adulterations such as lead, arsenic, chromium, and asbestos. Despite these talc dangers, the companies allegedly fail to warn consumers on product labeling.

“By including these carcinogens and reproductive toxins in the specification for ‘talc,’ the industry has misleadingly marketed talcum powder products as containing pure talc and has actively and knowingly taken steps to conceal the presence of [carcinogens] from consumers,” Jan claims.

“The industry has done so with a profiteering motive, knowing that full disclosure would lead to significant loss in sales and, even more likely, the removal of talcum powder products from the market,” he adds.

Jan also argues that Johnson & Johnson in particular has shown “particularly egregious” misconduct with their talc marketing. Recent news reports claim that the company previously targeted women of color with their marketing campaigns. These campaigns allegedly resulted in women purchasing the talc-based products without understanding the risks.

“J&J’s racial targeting has had an undue and tragic impact on unsuspecting minority groups in California, including the African American and Hispanic communities living in California,” the Johnson and Johnson lawsuit alleges.

Jan says that requiring a Proposition 65 warning on talc powder labels in California would help prevent consumers from unknowingly exposing themselves to carcinogens like asbestos which may be found in some talc powder products.

The Johnson & Johnson Talc Lawsuit is Case No. unavailable in the Superior Court of California for the County of Los Angeles.

Talc Dangers: Overview

In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not put out any warnings about talc dangers. However, the agency does note that there is “a potential for contamination of talc with asbestos,” which can pose a risk.

The American Cancer Society has come to a similar conclusion, noting that asbestos in talc can pose a risk for cancer that is likely attributed to the carcinogen.

Research has long sought to determine the safety of talcum powder, even if not contaminated with asbestos. Some studies have revealed that people exposed to talc are associated with an increased risk of cancer, such as talc miners and individuals who use talcum powder on the genitals. Unfortunately, the results of talc studies are mixed, and the results are not conclusive.

In order to account for the potential risk of talc usage, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research of Cancer (IARC) ahs classified the genital use of talc powder as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” However, the limited data on talc danger has resulted in a “not classifiable as to carcinogenicity in humans” rating for inhaled talc not containing asbestos.