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July 5, 2018

OTC PRODUCTS
Hawaii bans OTC sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone or octinoxate
Planning on traveling to Hawaii? You will need to bring your own sunscreen from the mainland or a prescription if you wish to use sunscreens containing octinoxate or oxybenzone. Oxybenzone-containing products include all 7 lotions, all 5 sprays, and the 1 stick sunscreen recommended by Consumer Reports in 2018. However, you may relax a bit for now: the law banning OTC sale of these products in Hawaii does not take effect until January 2021. According to a report in The Hill on July 3, the ban was passed because the sunscreens pose risks to the coral reefs which are important to Hawaii’s environment and appeal. The Legislature’s findings state that “Oxybenzone and octinoxate cause mortality in developing coral; increase coral bleaching that indicates extreme stress, even at temperatures below 87.8 degrees Fahrenheit; and cause genetic damage to coral and other marine organisms.” [Samuels B. Hawaii governor signs first-ever bill banning sunscreens that harm coral reefs. The Hill  2018 Jul 3; https://bit.ly/2u71ZaN; Hawaii 29^th Legislature, S.B. 2571, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1; https://bit.ly/2MOvQN4]