GorillaOffTopic, Everything But Gorilla Trades

A popular chinese-made kids craft toy is being recalled after 5 children in the U.S and Australia ingested a chemical that converts to the deadly “date rape” drug, after swallowing some of the toy’s parts. The popular toy called Aqua Dots, is used in arts and crafts projects and can be fused together when sprayed with water. The popular toys are called Bindeez in Australia where they were named “Toy of the Year” at an industry function earlier this year. The incidents occurred in both the U.S. and Australia, but it is not known yet whether the Aqua Dots beads are made in the same factories as the Bindeez product. Both of them are sold by the Australia-based Moose Enterprises. Apparently, scientists have found that a chemical coating on the beads, when ingested, metabolizes into the so-called date rape drug, gamma hydroxy butyrate (GHB). When eaten, it can induce unconsciousness, seizures, drowsiness, coma and even death! It is just unbelievable to the Gorilla that even some children’s toys can’t be declared safe these days. What is the world coming to if our children cannot safely play with their own toys? Unfortunately, this is only one of several toy recalls going on at the present time. Many are due to toxic lead paint in certain toy products. Of all the shocking and terrible things that go on in the world, it is sad to think that products used by children cannot be properly tested and screened prior to being put on our local toy store’s shelves.