WA SB5178

Restricts sale of sodium nitrite products (containing greater than 10% concentration) to verified commercial businesses only, requiring sellers to verify employer identification numbers before any transfer

Mandates warning labels on all covered products stating "WARNING DANGER: Deadly if ingested" with information about methemoglobinemia and the antidote methylene blue, accompanied by a skull and crossbones symbol covering at least 2% of the principal display panel

Imposes civil penalties of $10,000 for first violations and up to $1,000,000 for subsequent violations, with enforcement authority granted to the attorney general, prosecuting attorneys, or aggrieved individuals

Requires sellers to retain sale and transfer records for three years and prohibits verification systems that rely solely on self-certification checkboxes or acceptance statements

Takes effect immediately as an emergency measure to address rising sodium nitrite-related deaths, which reached 222 nationally in 2022 according to the bill's findings