Toys recalled containing 'date rape' drug

[richlevy]

From here. Actually, this kind of crap isn't new, it's just that our country figured out this crap back at the turn of the century.

Millions of toys recalled; contain 'date rape' drug

Two U.S. children went into comas after who swallowing Chinese-made Aqua Dots found to contain a chemical that converts into 'date rape' drug when ingested.

November 7 2007: 9:04 PM EST

WASHINGTON (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 this past summer.

cnnad_createAd("308674","http://ads.cnn.com/html.ng/site=cnn_money&cnn_money_position=220x200_ctr&cnn_money_rollup=business_news&cnn_money_section=quigo&params.styles=fs","200","220"); In the United States, the toy goes by the name Aqua Dots, a highly popular holiday toy distributed by Toronto-based Spin Master Toys. They are called Bindeez in Australia, where they were named toy of the year at an industry function earlier this year.

It could not immediately be learned whether Aqua Dots beads are made in the same factories as the Bindeez product. Both are sold by Australia-based Moose Enterprises.
The toy beads are sold in general merchandise stores and over the Internet for use in arts and crafts projects. They can be arranged into designs and fused together when sprayed with water.
Scientists say a chemical coating on the beads, when ingested, metabolizes into the so-called date rape drug gamma hydroxy butyrate. When eaten, the compound -- made from common and easily available ingredients -- can induce unconsciousness, seizures, drowsiness, coma and death.

[Aliantha]

Apparently there was a big rush on these 'toys' after the announcement.

What I want to know is, do the beads then pass through the system and 'pop' out the other end coated in something else?

[ZenGum]

Yeah I am sure the black market in Bindeez has just taken off.
If it had been done in a planned manner it would have been a great drug smuggling method. Pity it seems to have been a screw-up. Imagine the scenes in head office this week, as their chief product goes from hero to villain in one spectacular crash.

[SteveDallas]

This whole contaminated toy business just gets surrealer and surrealer. What's next, Easy Bake Ovens that accidentally include hash brownie mix?

[Shawnee123]

Originally Posted by SteveDallas

This whole contaminated toy business just gets surrealer and surrealer. What's next, Easy Bake Ovens that accidentally include hash brownie mix?

<----Revises Christmas wish list

[toranokaze]

Why was a seventh month old given beads in the first place, they could choke.

On the other side it would reduce my date rape drug budget j/k

[Crimson Ghost]

Originally Posted by toranokaze

On the other side it would reduce my date rape drug budget j/k

See? There's always a silver lining.

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by toranokaze

Why was a seventh month old given beads in the first place, they could choke.

Nah, they just swallowed them right down, no choking hazard at all!