New York Attorney General Letitia James, along with a bipartisan coalition of 42 attorneys general, has secured $700 million from Johnson & Johnson (J&J) for the deceptive marketing and sale of baby powder and body powder products containing dangerous talcum powder. New York will receive $44 million from this consent judgment.
For years, J&J targeted beauty salons and churches in communities of color with advertisements for its talcum-containing products. Talcum powder has been linked to serious health concerns, including ovarian cancer and lung problems. The coalition alleged that J&J misled consumers about the safety and purity of some of its products in advertisements.
“Targeting communities with cosmetic products that contain dangerous substances is not just illegal, it is very cruel,” said Attorney General James. “No amount of money can undo the pain caused by Johnson & Johnson’s talc-laced products, but today families can rest assured that the company is being held accountable for the harm it caused, and its dangerous products will no longer be on shelves in New York. Those that prey on our communities, hurt their health, and violate our laws will be met with the full force of my office.”
J&J sold baby powder and body powder products containing talcum powder across the country for decades. These products pose significant health risks due to potential asbestos contamination, a known carcinogen. J&J’s talcum-containing products included Johnson’s Baby Powder and J&J’s Shower to Shower. After state investigations began, the company stopped distributing these products in the United States in 2020.
In addition to paying $700 million over three years to 42 states, J&J agrees to permanently stop manufacturing, selling, promoting or distributing any talcum-containing products either directly or through third parties in the United States.
Joining Attorney General James are attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawai’i, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Rhode Island South Dakota Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.
This settlement is part of ongoing efforts by Attorney General James to protect consumers and hold companies accountable for misleading practices. In May 2024 alone:
- A multistate coalition led by James secured over $410 million from AT&T T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless for misleading advertisements about "unlimited" data plans and "free" phones.
- A federal judge accepted a jury's finding that Quincy Bioscience made fraudulent statements about its supplement Prevagen leading to a permanent injunction against deceptive advertising.
Other notable actions include an August 2023 settlement securing $1.6 million from an online apartment finder for false marketing claims and an October 2019 multistate settlement requiring J&J subsidiary Ethicon Inc. to pay nearly $117 million for deceptive marketing of transvaginal surgical mesh devices.
For New York this matter was handled by Special Counsel Mary Alestra under Bureau Chief Jane M Azia of the Consumer Frauds and Protection Bureau part of the Division of Economic Justice led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Chris D’Angelo overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.