Bill > SB5178

This bill addresses the public health risks associated with sodium nitrite by establishing comprehensive regulations on its sale and transfer. The legislation recognizes that sodium nitrite, commonly used as a food preservative, has been increasingly linked to suicide attempts, with national data showing 222 sodium nitrite-related deaths in 2022. The bill requires that sodium nitrite products containing over 10 percent concentration can only be sold to verified commercial businesses, and mandates strict labeling requirements including a prominent warning about the product's deadly nature if ingested. Covered entities (manufacturers, retailers, distributors) must implement rigorous verification processes to ensure sodium nitrite is only sold to legitimate commercial users, maintain detailed sales records for three years, and affix clear warnings on product packaging that include a skull and crossbones symbol and specific language about the product's dangers. Violations of these regulations can result in significant civil penalties, ranging from $10,000 for a first offense to up to $1,000,000 for subsequent violations, with the attorney general, local prosecutors, or aggrieved individuals empowered to bring enforcement actions. The bill's underlying goal is to limit access to this lethal substance as a suicide prevention strategy, particularly among vulnerable adolescents and young adults, by making sodium nitrite harder to obtain and more clearly labeled.

Business and Industry, Health and Social Services

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5178&Year=2025&Initiative=false