Amazon can be sued over suicides linked to chemical sold on its website, court rules

Amazon must face lawsuits by families that lost relatives who died by suicide after consuming a chemical bought from outside vendors on the retailer's website, the Washington Supreme Court ruled.

On Thursday, all nine justices rejected a ruling by an intermediate-level appeals court that the families could not sue Amazon for negligence because suicide was a superseding cause of their relatives' deaths.

Justice G. Helen Whitener wrote that Amazon owed customers a duty of reasonable care, and must avoid exposing them to "harm from the foreseeable conduct of a third party."

She said a jury should decide whether suicide was a foreseeable result of the Seattle-based retailer's alleged failure to exercise that duty.

Twenty-eight families have filed lawsuits alleging that Amazon has known for years about the link between the chemical and suicide yet continued to allow unrestricted sales, alongside other products that could assist in suicides. They have labeled these products collectively as "suicide kits."

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The families are seeking unspecified damages from Amazon under a Washington state product liability law for their relatives' deaths.

Thursday's decision covered appeals by four of the families, who said they lost relatives ages 17 to 27 who consumed the chemical in 2020 and 2021.

Amazon said it disagreed with the decision and is committed to the safety of all its customers. It expressed condolences to families affected by suicide.

The case is one of many seeking to hold online sales platforms such as Amazon responsible for products sold by third-party vendors.

"Amazon is one of the world's biggest companies, and shouldn't be profiting from products they know people use to harm themselves," Carrie Goldberg, a lawyer for the families, said in an interview.

The chemical linked to the suicides is often used as a preservative in foods, such as meat and fish. It also can be used in research laboratories, and in the treatment of cyanide poisoning.

In its statement, Amazon said the chemical "is not intended for direct consumption, and unfortunately, like many products, it can be misused."

Amazon said it now prohibits sales of the chemical with purity levels above 10%.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offer support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.