PROP-65

Proposition 65 Warning for California Residents

Proposition 65, officially known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, was enacted to protect California residents from chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. Chemicals do not need to pose a risk to humans to fall under the language of Proposition 65.

While the sale of products containing any of the chemicals is not prohibited, this law mandates that any company that does business in California is required to notify customers in California with a clear warning if any of their products contain any of the chemicals listed under Prop 65.

Are products with a Proposition 65 Warning Unsafe?

A Prop 65 warning does not mean that a product is unsafe. Instead, it serves as a notification to consumers about the presence of specific chemicals, allowing them to make informed purchasing decisions. The thresholds for these warnings by Prop 65 are often much lower than levels that would be considered concerning by federal health agencies like the FDA or WHO.

Are Dietary Supplements Affected by Proposition 65?

Dietary supplements are classified as food under Prop 65. As Proposition 65 applies to dietary supplements sold in California, consumers will be notified if a supplement contains a chemical from the Prop 65 list, particularly if it's present in an amount above the set threshold, and/or if it isn’t naturally occurring in the supplement's ingredients.

Learn More About Proposition 65

For more information on Proposition 65 and to view the list of chemicals, please visit the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) website or view the list of chemicals here.