U.S. Pulls Toy Containing "Date-Rape" Drug

AP:

Millions of Chinese-made toys have been pulled from shelves in North America and Australia after scientists found they contain a chemical that converts into a powerful "date rape" drug when ingested. Two children in the U.S. and three in Australia were hospitalized after swallowing the beads.

With only seven weeks until Christmas, the recall is yet another blow to the toy industry -- already bruised by a slew of recalls last summer.

In the United States, the toy goes by the name Aqua Dots, a highly popular holiday toy distributed by Toronto-based Spin Master Toys. It is called Bindeez in Australia, where it was named toy of the year at an industry function earlier this year.

Read the whole story: AP

Comments

[loki]

07:33 PM on 11/08/2007

Gee, and theyve been on the store shelve here in the states since early summer 07, and sold on tv even before that. Have no fear, these toys will be at your local Big lots , family dollar and walgreens in the discount isle. Just like I found a lot of the other recall toys. Heck, a few of the stores even had the recall printouts taped up by the registers that they rang the toys out at. Nothing new in the US though. A buck and any cost

[drblack]

04:27 PM on 11/08/2007

GHB is NOT a date rape drug. It is related to the date rape drug Rhohypnol because it interacts with the brains GABA receptors. Valium, Xanax and Ambien,Lunestra are other drugs that work this way.
Butyric acid is the main precursur to GHB and it is found in butter, beef and other animal fats.
Butyric acid based adhesives have been around a long time and this is what the Chinese used in this product.
This is not somthing you want in a child's toy but this article is so titillating and sensationalist .
I wonder how many of these beads would have to be eaten to give a significant dose of GHB.
American's go WAY overboard in panic and fear at the drop hat.
Learn some science ,stop buying things made in China and support the made in USA label.

[katlade]

03:07 PM on 11/08/2007

So have all these recalls been cost effective for the toy companies then. Or will they decide to make their toys here where there is more quality control. And guess what - they could provide some jobs. In America - for Americans.

[LenP]

02:42 PM on 11/08/2007

Aqua Dots...

You Mean...

...AQUA DEATH!

[balance]

02:12 PM on 11/08/2007

To dig deeper into the truth of the story:

Who designed the product, and even more importantly, who came up with the chemical formula for the beads?

[williamg]

01:30 PM on 11/08/2007

Aqua-dots + lead = D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S... yum yum ...."tastes like burning"

[raker]

12:33 PM on 11/08/2007

Calling this a "date rape drug" is typical of our vile and loathsome news media. These toys contain a chemical that has a number of adverse affects that might be compared to any number of things, but they reached back for one of their favorite sexy/sinister stories that's been on ice for while: date rape drug. As though the story weren't sexy enough on its face: China continues to add toxins and poisons to American household products to save Walmart can save a penny or two per unit.

[ljsfolly]

12:28 PM on 11/08/2007

I fail to understand how something that becomes a drug got into toys. The lead makes weird sense as it's the poor quality paint but drugs? What purpose could they have in the making of the toys process?? It makes me wonder what has gotten past us in the years prior to this as these things happened more than in the past year I am certain.

[edgemo]

11:59 AM on 11/08/2007

Seriously though, we stopped buying ANYTHING with a '
'Made in China' label earlier this year. Apart from the obvious quality issues, we've decided to stop supporting an economy that has no respect for the intellectual property of pretty much anyone.

So much for that Roleex (sic) watch I've always wanted.

[edgemo]

11:40 AM on 11/08/2007

In related 'news': The Catholic Church has emerged as the single largest buyer of the recalled toys. The church sees the toys as an indispensable tool in instructing young parishioners in the doctrines of the church'. A church spokesperson stated that 'the church has no intention of complying with the recall', and will act as a collection point for parents wishing to dispose of the toys.

[ldelp84227]

10:53 AM on 11/08/2007

Business as usual. You would think they would be thinking about regulating these products. You can't imagine how scared people are that have chemical illnesses.

[Mutineer]

10:16 AM on 11/08/2007

mmmm... aqua dots

[JudyGee]

10:02 AM on 11/08/2007

If its made in China, its either filthy or deadly. Nice. Let's import more.

[mrcontinental]

09:57 AM on 11/08/2007

What parent buys beads for their kids to play with. Just looking at them from the photo shows they are a swallow hazard.