Washington State Supreme Court allowed lawsuit against Amazon to proceed over sodium nitrite suicides
Families allege Amazon sold chemical without adequate warning labels despite knowing its potential use for suicide
Amazon prohibited high-concentration sodium nitrite sales in November 2025
Court ruled Amazon has a duty even if product was misused
Other retailers removed sodium nitrite years earlier when discovered it was used for suicides
📖 Full Retelling
The Washington State Supreme Court ruled on Thursday, February 19, 2026, that a lawsuit against Amazon can proceed to trial, brought by four families (representing 28 families total) whose loved ones died after purchasing sodium nitrite on Amazon's website, with the families alleging the retailer knowingly sold the chemical without adequate warning labels despite its potential use in suicides. Sodium nitrite, an ingredient used in curing salt for meat preservation and metal refinishing, was sold by Amazon in concentrations of 98% purity or higher, according to the plaintiffs. The lawsuit specifically centers on products from chemical companies Loudwolf and HiMedia that were available on Amazon's platform. Amazon's defense that the plaintiffs misused the product does not eliminate the company's duty, according to the court justices who reversed an earlier appeals court decision. In response to the ruling, Amazon emphasized its commitment to a safe shopping experience and noted that it began prohibiting sales of sodium nitrite in concentrations greater than 10% in November 2025. The lead attorney for the families, Carrie Goldberg, alleged that Amazon knew as early as 2018 that minors were purchasing sodium nitrite on its website, with usage discussed on internet forums where users referred to Amazon as the 'jungle' for purchasing the chemical. Other major retailers like eBay, Walmart, and Etsy had previously removed sodium nitrite from their sites years earlier when they discovered it was being used for suicides.
🏷️ Themes
Corporate Responsibility, Product Safety, E-commerce Regulation, Mental Health
Area of law in which product manufacturers are held responsible for damages caused
Product liability is the area of law in which manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, retailers, and others who make products available to the public are held responsible for the injuries those products cause. Although the word "product" has broad connotations, product liability as an area of law is...
The Washington Supreme Court is the highest court in the judiciary of the U.S. state of Washington. The court is composed of a chief justice and eight associate justices. Members of the court are elected to six-year terms.
A warning label is a label attached to a product, or contained in a product's instruction manual, warning the user about risks associated with its use, and may include restrictions by the manufacturer or seller on certain uses.
Some of them are legal requirements (such as health warnings on tobacco ...
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Original Source
MoneyWatch Lawsuit against Amazon over suicides linked to chemical can go to trial, court rules By Mary Cunningham Mary Cunningham Reporter, MoneyWatch Mary Cunningham is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. She previously worked at "60 Minutes," CBSNews.com and CBS News 24/7 as part of the CBS News Associate Program. Read Full Bio Mary Cunningham Updated on: February 19, 2026 / 5:15 PM EST / CBS News Add CBS News on Google A lawsuit against Amazon alleging the retailer sold a chemical on its website that played a role in the suicides of several teenagers and adults can proceed to trial, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled on Thursday. In their complaint, four families whose loved ones died after consuming sodium nitrite allege that Amazon sold the compound despite being aware it could be used for suicide. Sodium nitrite is an ingredient used in curing salt for meat preservation and metal refinishing and is typically sold at lower concentrations. The plaintiffs allege that those who died of sodium nitrite poisoning used Amazon's e-commerce platform to buy versions of the chemical with 98% purity or higher. Amazon also didn't adequately display warning labels for the sodium nitrite products sold on its site, according to the suit. "Big Tech companies must be held accountable when their platforms facilitate predictable and preventable harm," Naomi Leeds, lead partner at C.A. Goldberg, the law firm representing the families, said in a statement. C.A. Goldberg said it represents a total of 28 families with relatives who died after consuming sodium nitrite they bought on Amazon's website. Amazon's response In a statement to CBS News, an Amazon spokesperson said the company is committed to a "safe shopping experience" and that it requires sellers on its platform to abide by applicable laws. "High-concentration sodium nitrite is not intended for direct consumption, and unfortunately, like many products, it can be misused," the spokesperson said. Amazon said it began prohibi...
