Mexico Legislature Unanimously Bans Animal Testing for Cosmetics

The Mexico Senate has unanimously approved (103-0) a decree prohibiting the use of animals in cosmetic product experiments. The legislation will reform the General Law of Health by prohibiting testing of individual cosmetic ingredients or finished cosmetic products on animals, as well as banning the import, manufacture, or sales of products that have been tested on animals. The penalties for violation include substantial fines and prison sentences of two to seven years. The bill will become law after ratification by the federal executive power and publication in the Official Gazette of the Federation, at which time Mexico will make history as the first North American country to ban animal testing for cosmetic purposes.