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Ten states, including New York, New Jersey, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, New Hampshire, Illinois and Minnesota have implemented similar laws in recent years.
\"The trade in ivory contributes greatly to a devastating decline in elephant populations,\" said Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, in a statement. \"I am deeply saddened that ivory sales are occurring right here in my home state of Massachusetts, and that the New Bedford Whaling Museum would host an event where ivory is being sold at all—particularly without apparent authentication that is required by our federal government.\"
Between 2010 and 2012, 100,000 elephants were killed for their ivory, according to Ivory Free Massachusetts.
The U.S. is among the largest markets for illegal wildlife goods in the world, according to the Humane Society. Enforcement efforts are often hampered by lack of resources and the difficulty of distinguishing illegal ivory from legally acquired ivory.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/elephant-stock-gty-jef-190909_hpMain_4x3t_384.jpg\")
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 prohibits the importing, exporting and interstate transport and sale of items involving endangered and threatened species in the course of commercial activity.
A near-total ban on commercial trade of ivory went into effect on July 6, 2016. Ivory can only be sold out of state if it's more than 100 years old or is part of a manufactured product, such as a musical instrument, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. However, the ban does not affect commerce within states.
In July, the Humane Society announced the findings of a \"lucrative\" ivory trade in Washington, D.C., where \"ivory dealers take advantage of the lack of local laws banning the sale of ivory.\"
Legislation has been introduced in the Council of the District of Columbia that would prohibit sales of certain ivory products and products made from rhino horn, according to the organization.
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