Topic: Next up for banning: Buckyballs

[Pandora]

(CBS News) The company behind Buckyballs is claiming that the federal government unfairly targeted it's business when the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a complaint to stop sales of the magnetic product.

"Obviously the bureaucrats see danger everywhere, and those responsible people - like our company who have vigorously promoted safety and appropriate use of our products - gets put out of business by an unfair and arbitrary process," Craig Zucker, Founder and CEO of Maxfield and Oberton, which manufactures Buckyballs and Buckycubes, said in a statement. "I don't understand how and why they did this without following their own rules before allowing us to make our case. It almost seems like they simply wanted to put our products and industry out of business."

The CPSC, a federal agency, filed a complaint yesterday against the magnetic adult desk products because of their potential health hazards for children. The consumer watchdog group asked for retailers to stop selling the high-powered rare earth magnets because of the risks posed to individuals that swallow the balls. Already, Amazon, Brookstone and Urban Outfitters have complied.

Currently marketed to adults, the CPSC reported that more than 2 million Buckyballs have been sold in the U.S., as well as 200,000 Buckycubes. Each container has anywhere from between 10 to 216 small magnets.

Problems arose when children began swallowing the tiny balls and using them to mimic cheek or tongue piercings, leading to accidental swallowing. When the magnets are consumed, they can pinch or trap the intestinal walls, leading to inflammation, ulceration or ripping of the intestines. More serious side effects include infection, sepsis and death. Since the outward symptoms mimic the flu, caregivers may delay getting treatment because they think it is a less serious problem.

CPSC spokesperson Alex Filip told CBSNews.com that there were 22 cases of swallowing these magnets from 2009 to October 2011. One of the most high-profile cases was that of a 3-year-old from Portland, Ore., who swallowed 37 magnets. The girl needed surgery after the balls ripped three holes through her intestines.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)said in a statement that they agreed with the CSPS complaint, adding that the minute size of the magnets made it hard for caregivers to see if one is missing. A survey of North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition members found that there have been more than 60 magnet ingestion cases over the last two years, which necessitated 26 surgeries and involved 23 bowel perforations. It wasn't stated how many of these cases were related to Buckyball or Buckycube magnets.

"As pediatricians, our number one goal is to keep children safe," AAP President Dr. Robert W. Block said. "The powerful, tiny magnets contained in these toys and other similar products have caused unnecessary surgeries, debilitating injuries, irreversible gastrointestinal damage and other lifelong health impacts in infants, children and adolescents."

Maxfield and Oberton pointed out that they made an educational video detailing the dangers of swallowing Buckyballs and Buckycubes in compliance with the CPSC's requests nine months ago. They claimed that the CPSC's action against their $50 million company "unfair, unjust and un-American," especially since there have been less than two dozen misuse cases. While balloons - which were previously determined to be a health hazard by the CPSC - are allowed to be sold as long as they come with an advisory saying "adult supervision required," their product, which has five clearly labeled warnings on its box, is being taken off the shelves, they argued.

"As a small business owner I'm left wondering what to tell my employees and their families. How can this happen in America?" Zucker said.

KinderEggs importation already illegal (small item choking hazard) and now another American company is being driven out of business, in THIS ECONOMY, in an effort to child-proof the country.

[IronDioPriest]

It's difficult for me to look at things like this any longer and assume that someone is trying to do something good.

This isn't being done to protect children. It's being done to exert authority and harm commerce.

And again, as always, it's going to take a company like Amazon, with the protection of the state in which it resides, to simply tell the manufacturer, "continue to produce and ship these, and we will continue to sell them." And, in turn, the state in which the manufacturer resides must also protect the manufacturer.

Only defiance will produce the needed resistance.

Gibson Guitars should have had the Tennessee National Guard standing at the doorway prohibiting federal agents from entering.

[Weisshaupt]

It's difficult for me to look at things like this any longer and assume that someone is trying to do something good.

Who the hell is giving a 3 year old small parts to play with in the first place. That is negligence on the part of the caretaker - not the company.  I wouldn't give a 3 year old a small part Lego set either.  Or a Red Ryder BB gun.  The want to child -proof the country because that is who they want to govern - children, or adults who act like them. 
 

[Pandora]

It's difficult for me to look at things like this any longer and assume that someone is trying to do something good.

Who the hell is giving a 3 year old small parts to play with in the first place. That is negligence on the part of the caretaker - not the company.  I wouldn't give a 3 year old a small part Lego set either.  Or a Red Ryder BB gun.  The want to child -proof the country because that is who they want to govern - children, or adults who act like them. 
 

It is negligence on the part of the caretaker.  One doesn't need to give them to 'em; they get into everything, as I'm sure you're aware, so you've got to watch them every minute and make some effort to put this kind of stuff where one is SURE they can't get at it.  The point I make here is that some parents -- and I use the term loosely -- do not raise their own children ("daycare" does that), so they really do not know what it is to corral a 3 year-old all day, everyday.  I don't have kids, but I have a much younger sister who was left to my care much of the time, so I'm here to tell you that it was hard to keep up even as the 14 year-old I was.

What does one do about kids who are old enough to recognize and imitate tongue studs with such items?  Kids who should not need to be told "do NOT put this in your mouth!"?

[charlesoakwood]

Tongue studs, that's an automatic sign of a
good parent and those they associate with.

[Weisshaupt]

What does one do about kids who are old enough to recognize and imitate tongue studs with such items?  Kids who should not need to be told "do NOT put this in your mouth!"?

Natural selection at work.  Seriously, a child that age would be able to tell someone what a dumb, stupid thing they did, and there is a device or that- its called a stomach pump.
I had a buddy that hasd one of  those spring-load projectile toys and launched the damn thing down his throat. He was 12.  He had his stomach pumped and made the local paper. Some other idiot managed to choke to death on it.  Result- the Boba Fett mail away that I had begged and pleaded by parents to buy me enough figures for took 12 weeks to arrive and without the cool spring loaded backpack!

If your kid is too stupid to admit they did such a dumb thing, then yes, they deserve to die. I am so sick and tired of liberals telling me I have ot be punished and go without because they are too damn stupid to take care of themselves.

[Pandora]

My mother once baked Christmas cookies and used little, tiny Red-Hots as decoration on some of them.  My six year old nephew claimed he put one in his nose, which necessitated a dash by my sister to the Doc-in-a-Box.  The Red-Hot was not found in his nose or sinus.  Maybe he just wanted the attention, I dunno, but I'll bet he was made unhappy by whatever examination was performed on his little nose.

[trapeze]

Or a Red Ryder BB gun.

Forget Red Ryder. Get 'em a Dalton Dead Eye.



source: National Lampoon Magazine archives, of course.

[LadyVirginia]

I think I told this story at IAL before but it fits on this thread.  One of my daughters and I visited a friend who at the time had a 2 year old.  As we chatted her son picked up a small blue plastic cap and stuck it in his mouth.  Needless to say I found myself watching the kid and not listening to her.  She stopped and said to me "Oh, he's ok."  I couldn't understand why she didn't take it from him.  A few minutes later she took me to another room to show me something and my daughter who at the time was around 12 stayed with the boy.  As she said later "I wasn't leaving that kid alone with that in his mouth."  She got the cap from him and put it up high. 

FYI:  buckyballs

I've just recently gotten to the point where I'm comfortable having lit candles in our house.  I think my youngest is old enough to be aware of the flame; still I take care to keep it in a safe place so no one gets hurt. 

The point I make here is that some parents -- and I use the term loosely -- do not raise their own children ("daycare" does that), so they really do not know what it is to corral a 3 year-old all day, everyday.

ding, ding, ding!  I see (and hear) this all the time.

[Pandora]

"Save Our Balls".  LoL.  Good for them!  I heard the company's owner interviewed today on Rush's show, but I couldn't find the site, LV.  (Okay, I didn't look very hard either    .)

[Libertas]

Heard that too, "save our balls", that is awesome, I have to help them out!

 

[LadyVirginia]

Heard that too, "save our balls", that is awesome, I have to help them out!

 

I need to buy some gifts soon anyway.