By Mary Cunningham
Updated on: February 19, 2026 / 5:15 PM EST / CBS News
华盛顿州最高法院周四裁定，针对亚马逊的一起诉讼可进入审判阶段。该诉讼指控亚马逊在其网站上销售一种化学物质，该物质与数名青少年和成年人的自杀事件有关。
在诉状中，四名亲人因食用亚硝酸钠死亡的家庭指控称，亚马逊明知该化合物可能被用于自杀，却仍在网站上销售。
亚硝酸钠是用于肉类防腐腌制盐和金属抛光的成分，通常以较低浓度出售。
原告称，因亚硝酸钠中毒死亡的人使用亚马逊的电子商务平台购买了纯度达98%或更高的化学物质版本。诉讼还称，亚马逊在其网站上销售的亚硝酸钠产品未充分显示警告标签。
代表受害家庭的律师事务所C.A. Goldberg的首席合伙人娜奥米·利兹（Naomi Leeds）在一份声明中表示：“当大型科技公司的平台助长可预见且可预防的伤害时，必须追究其责任。”
C.A. Goldberg表示，该律所共代表28个家庭，这些家庭的亲属在食用了从亚马逊网站购买的亚硝酸钠后死亡。
亚马逊的回应
亚马逊发言人在向CBS新闻发表的声明中表示，该公司致力于“安全购物体验”，并要求平台上的卖家遵守适用法律。
“高浓度亚硝酸钠并非用于直接食用，不幸的是，与许多产品一样，它可能被滥用，”发言人说。
亚马逊表示，去年11月，它开始禁止销售浓度超过10%的亚硝酸钠。
周四的法院裁决推翻了上诉法院的早期决定，该上诉法院认为亚马逊不应为自杀死亡事件承担责任。
华盛顿州最高法院法官在周四的裁决中写道：“亚马逊关于原告可能误用产品的论点并不能免除其责任。”
根据法院裁决，虽然亚马逊在其网站上销售多个品牌的亚硝酸钠，但此案主要涉及两家化学公司Loudwolf和HiMedia的产品。
该案首席律师卡里·戈德堡（Carrie Goldberg）在接受CBS新闻采访时指控，亚马逊“早在2018年就知道未成年人在其网站上购买亚硝酸钠”。她说，在一个人们可以讨论自杀方法的互联网论坛上，有人讨论了使用该化学物质的方法。
戈德堡称，论坛用户建议人们去“丛林”——据称是亚马逊的代号——购买亚硝酸钠。
戈德堡表示，易趣（eBay）、沃尔玛（Walmart）和 Etsy 等公司也曾在其网站上销售亚硝酸钠，但在意识到人们用它来自杀后，多年前就下架了该产品。
如果你或你认识的人正经历情绪困扰或处于自杀危机中，请拨打或发送短信至988联系988自杀与危机生命线。你也可以在此处与988自杀与危机生命线进行在线聊天。如需了解更多关于心理健康护理资源和支持的信息，美国全国精神疾病联盟（NAMI）帮助热线可在周一至周五美国东部时间上午10点至晚上10点通过拨打1-800-950-NAMI（6264）或发送电子邮件至info@nami.org联系。
Edited by Alain Sherter
Lawsuit against Amazon over suicides linked to chemical can go to trial, court rules
By Mary Cunningham
Updated on: February 19, 2026 / 5:15 PM EST / CBS News
A lawsuit against Amazon alleging the retailer sold a chemical on its website that played a role in the suicides of several teenagers and adults can proceed to trial, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled on Thursday.
In their complaint, four families whose loved ones died after consuming sodium nitrite allege that Amazon sold the compound despite being aware it could be used for suicide.
Sodium nitrite is an ingredient used in curing salt for meat preservation and metal refinishing and is typically sold at lower concentrations.
The plaintiffs allege that those who died of sodium nitrite poisoning used Amazon’s e-commerce platform to buy versions of the chemical with 98% purity or higher. Amazon also didn’t adequately display warning labels for the sodium nitrite products sold on its site, according to the suit.
“Big Tech companies must be held accountable when their platforms facilitate predictable and preventable harm,” Naomi Leeds, lead partner at C.A. Goldberg, the law firm representing the families, said in a statement.
C.A. Goldberg said it represents a total of 28 families with relatives who died after consuming sodium nitrite they bought on Amazon’s website.
Amazon’s response
In a statement to CBS News, an Amazon spokesperson said the company is committed to a “safe shopping experience” and that it requires sellers on its platform to abide by applicable laws.
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“High-concentration sodium nitrite is not intended for direct consumption, and unfortunately, like many products, it can be misused,” the spokesperson said.
Amazon said it began prohibiting sales of sodium nitrite in concentrations greater than 10% in November of last year.
The court’s ruling on Thursday reverses an earlier decision by an appeals court that found Amazon could not be held liable for the deaths because they had died by suicide.
Amazon’s “argument that plaintiffs may have misused the product does not eliminate Amazon’s duty,” the Washington Supreme Court justices wrote in Thursday’s ruling.
While Amazon sells multiple brands of sodium nitrite on its website, the case centers on two products from chemical companies Loudwolf and HiMedia, according to the court ruling.
Carrie Goldberg, the lead attorney in the case, alleged in a previous interview with CBS News that Amazon knew “as early as 2018” that minors were buying sodium nitrite on its website. She said usage of the chemical was discussed on an internet forum where people can discuss suicide methods.
Forum users advised people to go to the “jungle” — a purported code name for Amazon — to purchase sodium nitrite, Goldberg said.
Companies like eBay, Walmart, and Etsy also formerly sold sodium nitrite on their sites, but removed it years ago when they realized people were using it for suicide, according to Goldberg.
_If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, you can reach the_988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline_by calling or texting 988. You can also_chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here_. For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Eastern Time at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@nami.org._
Edited by Alain Sherter
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