Etsy blocks sales of drugs and human remains

Etsy has become the go-to spot for homemade jewelry, knickknacks and household goods. But apparently, some have been using the online marketplace to sell everything from drugs to human remains.

Now Etsy is cracking down.

The online marketplace recently revised its policies, excluding from its list of sellable items such products as tobacco, hazardous materials and body parts (hair and teeth are still OK).

"Though odd as it may sound, we've spent long hours over the past several months extensively researching some offbeat and fascinating topics, from issues surrounding the sale of human bones to the corrosive and toxic properties of mercury," the company wrote on its official blog on Wednesday.

Etsy says the changes are made in order to comply with legal rules and restrictions.

"But beyond that, when it comes right down to it, some things just aren't in the spirit of Etsy," the online company wrote. "While we understand that it is possible for certain items to be carefully and legally bought and sold, Etsy is just not the right venue for them."

Related story: Etsy's secret The "Cult of Me"

Related story: Etsy's secret? The "Cult of Me"

The new policy prohibits the sale of human body parts, including but not limited to "things such as skulls, bones, articulated skeletons, bodily fluids, preserved tissues or organs, and other similar products."

Etsy banned most drug paraphernalia, though the company said it is not explicitly banning the sale of medical drugs. Instead, it's asking that sellers remove any claims of "cure or relief" that aren't approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Excerpt from:
Etsy blocks sales of drugs and human remains