Last chance to comment on federal ban of Buckyballs - small magnets that can damage your child's...

[GIMBY]

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is collecting public comments on whether to ban Buckyballs, Zen Magnets and other sets of small round magnets. Children naturally want to put these little metal balls in their mouths - but if they swallow more than one, the magnets can attract each other through intestinal and stomach walls, tearing the tissue and requiring major surgery. 

Read more here and find out how to register your comment with the CPSC: http://gimby.org/blogs/backyard-fence/20121113/proposed-buckyballs-ban-draws-strong-reactions

[philomom]

How about don't allow small children to play with them? That's what you need here, more parental common sense... not bans.

[brigala]

I'd like to see them labeled with a huge warning that says "NOT FOR HOUSEHOLDS WITH YOUNG CHILDREN" and an explanation of the hazard.

Banning them goes too far. Children can hurt themselves on all sorts of things if they're allowed age-inappropriate access. Magnets are not the only thing a kid can eat that can kill. Are we going to ban iron supplements and gasoline, too?

[JollyGG]

Bucky balls had already labeled them with a huge warning label. They were also marketed to adults as a desk toy, not to children. Plus I believe their marketing also addressed the risks. So I was surprised when they had to pull them from the market. I personally thought it was pretty stupid.

[philomom]

Originally Posted by brigala 

I'd like to see them labeled with a huge warning that says "NOT FOR HOUSEHOLDS WITH YOUNG CHILDREN" and an explanation of the hazard.

Banning them goes too far. Children can hurt themselves on all sorts of things if they're allowed age-inappropriate access. Magnets are not the only thing a kid can eat that can kill. Are we going to ban iron supplements and gasoline, too?

Exactly. I drank a cup of bleach as a small child.. my mom was in the laundry room with me and swears she was standing right next me.. I just had toddler quick hands and drank it up. Thank goodness I wasn't seriously harmed.... though I was rushed to the emergency room for some treatment. Should we ban bleach? Where does the banning stop? Young children should be supervised at all times!

[Adaline'sMama]

Yeah, Im against this ban. Those things are super cool. I play with them at a friends house all the time and when DD is over there, we make her keep them at the table and she makes snakes out of them. Supervised. 

Should we ban change, marbles, paperclips, thumb tacks, and millions of other things that littles shouldnt be putting in their mouth too? If we are going to ban stuff, I say we start with things like crib bumpers, after market car seat accessories, and other things that parents dont realize could hurt their children- not stuff that common sense will tell you not to let them have.