Montgomery, AL – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, along with 42 other state attorneys general, has announced a $700 million nationwide settlement with Johnson & Johnson to resolve allegations related to the marketing of its baby powder and body powder products containing talc. Pending judicial approval, Alabama is set to receive $13,458,975 from this settlement.
The consent judgment filed in the lawsuit addresses claims that Johnson & Johnson deceptively promoted and misled consumers regarding the safety and purity of some of its talc powder products. The company has agreed to cease the manufacture and sale of its talc-based baby powder and body powder products in the United States.
“For generations, Johnson & Johnson advertised baby powder as a ‘clinically proven’ product for women and girls. Yet, since the 1980s, this same company has known of studies showing their talc powder products were tainted with carcinogenic asbestos, increasing a user’s risk of ovarian cancer. Our large bipartisan coalition investigated and took necessary action for knowingly exploiting and deceiving consumers,” said Attorney General Marshall. “This settlement cannot reverse the harms experienced by consumers, but it can ensure that no one else is exposed to these dangerous products in the future.”
Johnson & Johnson has sold these products for over a hundred years. Following the coalition’s investigation, the company stopped distributing and selling these products in the United States and has recently ended global sales. Although this lawsuit focused on deceptive marketing, numerous other lawsuits filed by private plaintiffs in class actions have raised allegations that talc causes serious health issues, including mesothelioma and ovarian cancer.
Under the terms of the consent judgment, Johnson & Johnson has agreed to the following:
– Cease and not resume the manufacturing, marketing, promotion, sale, and distribution of all baby and body powder products and cosmetic powder products containing talcum powder in the United States.
– Permanently stop the manufacture of any Covered Products in the United States, either directly or indirectly through any third party.
– Permanently stop the marketing and promotion of any Covered Products in the United States, either directly or indirectly through any third party.
– Permanently stop the sale or distribution of any Covered Products in the United States, either directly or indirectly through any third party.
Alabama’s share of the settlement will be paid by Johnson & Johnson in four annual installments starting next month. The funds will be allocated for consumer protection enforcement and education.
The multistate settlement was led by Texas, Florida, and North Carolina, with Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin joining the coalition.
