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Date Rape Toys Recalled

Toy beads contain same ingredients as powerful 'date rape' drug

By Mark Huffman
ConsumerAffairs.com

November 8, 2007     Spanish
Yes, you read the headline correctly. More than four million Aqua Dots toys, made in China, are being recalled in the U.S. because some parts contain the same ingredients that are in a powerful “date rape” drug.

Scientists analyzing the drug have found that it is made with a chemical that, once ingested, converts into the drug GHB, a highly toxic compound that is known to cause feelings of euphoria, dizziness and unconsciousness.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission says some children have gotten sick after putting the toys in their mouths.

Aqua Dots sell for between $17 and $30 and were destined to be one of the hot toys of the holiday season. They are highly popular in Australia and Wal-Mart recently made the beads one of its top 12 toys of the holiday season.

By Thursday morning, retailers like Wal-Mart, Target and Toys R Us had already removed Aqua Dots from their Web sites. The toy, though made in China, is distributed by Canadian-based Spin Master, Ltd.

“Children who swallow the beads can become comatose, develop respiratory depression or have seizures," the CPSC said in a statement.

According to the agency, there have been two reported cases of the toy making a child sick. A two year old boy, who reportedly swallowed several beads, became dizzy and vomited before blacking out. In a second incident, a child reportedly fell into a coma and was in the hospital for five days.

Both children have since recovered, the CPSC said.

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