Lawsuit against Amazon over suicides linked to chemical can go to trial, court rules
A lawsuit against Amazon, alleging the retailer sold a chemical on its website that played a role in the suicides of several teenagers and adults, can go to trial, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled Thursday.
In their complaint, four families whose loved ones died after consuming sodium nitrite claim that Amazon sold the compound despite knowing it could be used for suicide.
Sodium nitrite is an ingredient used in curing salt for meat preservation and metal finishing and is typically sold in lower concentrations.
The plaintiffs allege that people who died of sodium nitrite poisoning used Amazon’s e-commerce platform to purchase versions of the chemical with a purity of 98% or higher. Amazon also failed to properly display warning labels for sodium nitrite products sold on its site, according to the suit.
“Big tech companies must be held accountable when their platforms facilitate foreseeable and avoidable harm,” Naomi Leeds, senior associate at CA Goldberg, the law firm representing the families, said in a statement.
CA Goldberg said that represents a total of 28 families whose loved ones died after consuming sodium nitrite purchased on the Amazon website.
Amazon’s response
In a statement to CBS News, an Amazon spokesperson said the company is committed to providing a “safe shopping experience” and requires sellers on its platform to comply with applicable laws.
“High concentration sodium nitrite is not intended for direct consumption and unfortunately, like many products, it can be misused,” the spokesperson said.
Amazon said it began banning the sale of sodium nitrite in concentrations above 10% in November last year.
The court’s decision Thursday overturns an earlier ruling by an appeals court that found Amazon could not be held responsible for the deaths because they committed suicide.
“Amazon’s argument that plaintiffs may have misused the product does not eliminate Amazon’s obligation,” the Washington Supreme Court justices wrote in their Thursday ruling.
While Amazon sells several brands of sodium nitrite on its website, the case focuses on two products from chemical companies Loudwolf and HiMedia, according to the court ruling.
Carrie Goldberg, the lead attorney in the case, claimed in a previous interview with CBS News that Amazon knew “as early as 2018” that minors were purchasing sodium nitrite on its website. She said the use of the chemical had been discussed on an Internet forum where people could discuss suicide methods.
Forum users advised people to go to the “jungle” — a purported code name for Amazon — to buy sodium nitrite, Goldberg said.
Companies like eBay, Walmart and Etsy also sold sodium nitrite on their sites, but removed it years ago when they realized people were using it to kill themselves, according to Goldberg.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or in a suicidal crisis, you can contact 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifebuoy by calling or texting 988. You can also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis lifeline here. For more information about mental health care resources and support, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Time at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or by email at info@nami.org.
