Media Release

Governor Signs EHC’s Bill To Protect Children
From Lead in Candy

First Law in the United States that Makes Lead-Tainted Candy Illegal

(October 8, 2005) - Yesterday Governor Schwarzenegger responded to thousands of community demands and signed AB121, authored by Assembly Member Juan Vargas, D-San Diego that bans the sale of lead-tainted candy.

The new law will get rid of the lead in contaminated candies that are coming in from other countries, but mostly from Mexico. Among its provisions, it requires testing of candies that include ingredients such as chili and tamarind for high levels of lead.

Environmental Health Coalition (EHC) a San Diego-based environmental justice organization has been working for nearly four years to eliminate lead in candy. EHC’s Leticia Ayala, directs the organization’s lead campaign and said, “This is a tremendous victory for children, parents and everyone who cares about protecting our health. Our children should not be eating these poisons.”

Ayala continued, “The Governor has done the right thing by putting children first. With hundreds of children’s letters on his desk and hundreds of phone calls to his office, the message is loud and clear: candy manufacturers cannot continue to profit at the expense of our children’s health.”

A strong coalition of grass roots environmental justice, environmental and health organizations came together with community residents to make this common sense rule a reality.

AB 121 is the first law of its kind nationwide and will go into effect on January 1, 2006.

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