My name is Ashley and I'm a mother of 5 amazing children in the state of Alabama! In an ongoing effort to promote their health, other families and I are fighting against harmful ingredients currently found on our grocery store shelves all over the country. Other countries have taken action, we should too! It's time to ban harmful synthetic dyes!

Extensive research, including studies by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), a division of the California Environmental Protection Agency, has linked synthetic dyes to adverse neurobehavioral effects in children. Chronic exposure to these dyes can impair children’s ability to learn, succeed in school, and maintain healthy relationships with peers, potentially leading to serious long-term consequences. Moreover, Red 3, is a known carcinogen, while Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 may contain carcinogenic contaminants. Red 3 and Yellow 5 have also been identified as genotoxic.

According to the OEHHA report, reactions to synthetic dyes can mimic or exacerbate existing mental health conditions like ADHD. Neurobehavioral effects caused or worsened by these dyes in children include hyperactivity, inattentiveness, restlessness, sleeplessness, irritability, and aggression. Given the risks associated with consuming synthetic dyes, I believe it is crucial that we take action to protect our children in Alabama. [Fact sheet: https://bit.ly/4e4kIZ9

The fact remains that many children, and possibly even adults, experience adverse neurological reactions to synthetic dyes, often without realizing it. As the OEHHA report highlighted, some of our most vulnerable US populations consume the highest number of products colored with synthetic dyes. I believe it’s unfair and unethical to expect parents, children, and individuals to have to police their own food to avoid these nearly unavoidable chemicals. A logical solution to this problem is to inform Alabama citizens about these dyes in their food through the addition of a warning label to dyed foods, and ultimately, remove them entirely. We have already begun with the Ban on Red 3. Let's not stop there!

It is time to ban synthetic dyes on behalf of the citizens of the state of Alabama. Such a change is both feasible and cost-free and will significantly benefit thousands of lives, particularly the most vulnerable members of our population. We can't build a strong country without healthy people!

Please help me by signing this petition and continuing the wave of change!