The creators of the petition say that the petroleum-based, artificial dyes used in the popular candy can cause hyperactivity in certain children.
New York resident Renee Shutters and the Center for Science in the Public Interest have the petition on change.org hoping to convince Mars CEO Paul Michaels to change the dyes used.
Just two weeks after the launch, the petition has over 87,000 supporters and counting. It only took eight days to get the first 50,000 signatures.
Mars Chocolate North America released a statement denying that the dyes are unsafe.
The specific dyes being targeted are Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Red 40.
The dyes comply with safety regulations worldwide, including the FDA.
Support for the petition continues to soar. It seems the ball has been Mars’ court.