Warning, California Prop 65 – Cancer and Reproductive Harm… on EVERYTHING?

brilliantviewpoint

Have you noticed this issue lately? You look at something, want to buy it, and when you take it out of the package or turn dish around on the bottom you see the CA Prop 65 Cancer and Reproductive Harm Warning.

I ask you, “Why are companies even allowed to make the product if they put that warning label on it?”

Take this flashlight. I found it over the holidays. An outdoor shop had a sample to test. I tried it out. I measured it, so you could see, it’s small, but powerful. I thought it was great. Well, I get home, I pull the NEW flashlight out of the box and THERE is the CANCER WARNING.

It’s funny. As soon as I saw the WARNING, I almost dropped the flashlight on the floor. You know, like if you suddenly saw a spider on your hand. Fling it away. What does that warning really mean? If I keep holding that flashlight I could get cancer?

This is maddening. I was in a furniture store the other day. I saw a leather recliner. Nice looking blue color. I went to look at the tag. It said, “CA Prop 65 – Cancer, etc. WARNING.” Really, a recliner too? Now, who in their right mind would buy this leather recliner? Do you want to sit in your expensive chair with the constant thought of cancer on your mind?. I saw some dishes at the store. Guess what, turned them around and on the bottom — the cancer warning.

I’ve seen the warning in the past, but lately, I seem to see it constantly. No wonder there are so many people sick with cancer. It seems to be everywhere. Did you hear the egg one now? Fried eggs could cause bladder cancer, but boiled eggs are Ok.

So, opinions — What do I do with the flashlight? Take the risk of getting cancer or return it?

20 thoughts on “Warning, California Prop 65 – Cancer and Reproductive Harm… on EVERYTHING?”

  1. I recall, years ago, the CDC stating that anything is a potential cancer risk. I looked at their list that included a wild range, so I checked their rating method. If they couldn’t prove it absolutely didn’t cause cancer, they labeled it as possible. It’s a legal way to avoid being sued. I’d keep the flashlight.

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. Thanks, Judy. Way back when, I heard something similar. Everything can cause cancer, and they cover themselves with the cancer message. A shame right. However, I think cancer risk is higher lately. Well, we need to live life, hope for the best, right. Don’t fry your eggs, LOL.

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  2. Prop 65 was a direct voter initiative in 1986. It was a popular vote to try and force companies to identify sources of cancer. Basically it turned out as I feared (and why I voted against it) – companies avoid being subjected to lawsuits by just labeling everything as a cancer risk. The list of “things known to CA as cancer causing” basically includes all materials, chemicals, compounds, etc … The warning is meaningless as it’s a political construct and not based on any science. Enjoy your flashlight.

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  3. I am not highly educated but my own common sense seems to say that getting cancer from a flashlight just doesn’t seem too likely. Unless you’re smoking it. Please don’t smoke your flashlight. I understand they are hard to light that way.

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    1. Thanks, Kenneth. In general, I don’t live in fear. This one surprised me, because it was not on the outside of the package giving me a choice to purchase or not. Instead it was big and bold inside. Caught me off guard. You are right, anything can cause cancer, even our cell phones, which we use daily. Have a good day.

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  6. It’s an interesting point you made to Kenneth T, where the manufacturer only has to label the product itself and not the container. No matter how low the odds are of getting cancer, it still seems a little deceptive. And I’d have the same (unwarranted) reaction as you when I’d see the label – drop the product as if it was radioactive.

    Other commenters are more knowledgeable on this topic than I am so I choose to side with them. The decal appears to be a cover-your-behind approach instead of in the spirit of the law. Keep the flashlight. Even if you did get cancer one day, how would you know it was caused by the flashlight and not by one of literally thousands of other possibilities?

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  7. I have seen that warning on something I bought, but can’t remember what? I thought they had to put it on if there were certain ingredients/chemicals in the product no matter how minute an amount, but I didn’t worry about it as it’s just a generic across the board warning. I fry my eggs in a non-stick pan, and that’s probably bad too….everything is bad.

    Liked by 1 person

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  8. Hi Monica,
    oh, wow, I don’t know if I have never heard of it, or if I never paid attention to it.
    Not that it would make not buy something, as some of the warnings in packages are just silly.
    On another note, I think my comments and likes are showing up again. And I also think I solved some of the issues to getting to my blog. Fingers crossed you see this comment.
    Blessings to you!

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. LoL- you’re right! Hey, I was over at your site, it’s nice. Unfortunately, when I click on your Blog, it brings me outside of the Reader to your website and I can’t Follow you. Even on the bottom right side, I can’t click on something to Follow you. Must be how you have your Blog set up. You should ask the Happiness Engineers about that.

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