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4 July 2014 | beautystorebusiness.com Marc Birenbaum Executive Editor mbirenbaum@creativeage.com Editor's Note ON MAY 16 MINNESOTA BECAME THE first state to prohibit the use of triclosan in many retail products for consumers. The ban won't take effect until Jan. 1, 2017. According to various reports and state bills this year, triclosan is an ingredient in an estimated 75% of antibacterial soaps and body washes sold across the United States. It can also be found in, among other things, cosmetics, creams, shaving products, deodorants, toothpastes, other personal-care products and detergents. Possible health and environmental con- cerns over triclosan have been debated for some time with a number of studies issued, countered, etc., and have included in the controversy, among others, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, the Personal Care Products Council, the American Cleaning Institute, The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the Environmental Working Group. This is one more example of how a regulatory/compliance issue affecting products in your brick-and-mortar beauty store and/or on your website is increasingly being handled by a state or states— instead of, ideally, on a national level by our federal government. Earlier this year, New York and Iowa were also considering possible laws banning triclosan. Will other states follow? In the end, this is a big win for the envi- ronmental groups that charge themselves with the task of watching over the beauty industry (and collecting all that money to do so), and, conversely, a tough loss for the trade associations that decided to openly fight this battle (as well as those that didn't). While maintaining triclosan's safety, Avon Products opted earlier this year to phase out the ingredient in its products. Procter & Gamble and Johnson & John- son have initiated similar programs. Are you ready for the next free of (insert the name here, please) product? Check out this statement about Crest toothpaste on that P&G; brand's website: "We would like to reassure our consumers that all Crest products are 100% TRICLOSAN FREE." One of the lead sponsors of the Minne- sota legislation, state Sen. John Marty, has been quoted in news reports that the odds are good that most manufactur- ers will phase out triclosan by the ban's effective date. But what about the smaller companies and contract manufacturers with branded and private-label products using this ingredient? On a personal level, I've often wondered if antibacterial soaps are more effective than "regular" soaps. To be quite honest with you, I'm not sure. Some scientists have said triclosan isn't harmful. Then there's Dr. Oz. And FightGermsNow.com. And the ACI stating in its letter asking for the Minnesota governor's veto of the bill that this ban will take "safe, effective and beneficial products off the shelves." Don't we all want to be safe? Don't you think consumers are going to be totally confused by this? ■ This is one more example of how a regulatory issue is being handled by states. Our Road Now After Minnesota E d i t o r Õ s N o t e 0 7 1 4 . i n d d 4 EditorÕs Note 0714.indd 4 6 / 4 / 1 4 2 : 3 7 P M 6/4/14 2:37 PM