Well, I haven't made any contributions here in a while, but this story deserves its spread.
Australia's 2007 Toy of the Year, the Hong Kong-manufactured craft toy Bindeez, is being pulled from shelves after it was revealed its "magic beads" contain a chemical that converts into the toxic illegal drug fantasy when ingested.
For those not in the know.
Bindeez was a set of beads targetted at young children. You placed them on a mat/tablet/whatever in a cute arrangement ie. flower. Spray with water and voila! They stick together and dont come apart. Kinda like those iron on bead things but without the iron and with waterspray instead ;p
Fantasy is a highly toxic recreational drug. Also known as liquid xtc or GHB.
So this awesome toy of the year in Australia converts itself to a highly toxic recreational drug when metabolised which made it really awesome for kids who love to put all and sundry in their mouth. We now know why the toy was so popular ;p
Article in full below
A popular children's toy with beads containing a chemical that converts into the illegal drug fantasy when swallowed has been officially recalled, two days after concerns were raised about the product.
Named as Australia's 2007 Toy of the Year, the "Bindeez" range of craft toys has been voluntarily recalled across the nation by its distributor after three children were hospitalised in the past fortnight after eating Bindeez beads.
Melbourne-based firm Moose Enterprise on Wednesday has advised parents to immediately remove the product from children's access.
"The company has advised that if the product has been swallowed, parents should seek immediate medical attention, even if the child is not showing any adverse symptoms," Moose Enterprise said in a statement.
NSW Fair Trading Minister Linda Burney said the recall was likely to come at a significant cost to the company.
"Toy of the year - I imagine it will run into millions and millions of dollars," Ms Burney said.
Just hours before the recall, Moose Enterprise was named a finalist for an Australian Export Award, to be announced on November 22.
Commonwealth export agency Austrade said the company, which sells about 50 different toys, is a finalist because it was this year's winner of the Governor of Victoria's Export Award in the arts, entertainment and design category.
Authorities are investigating how the dangerous chemical 1,4-butanediol came to replace the safe chemical 1,5-pentanediol in the manufacture of Bindeez beads in Hong Kong.
Once eaten, the chemical is converted by the body into gamma-hydroxy butyrate (GHB) - also known as fantasy or Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) - which can cause seizures, drowsiness, coma and death.
The drug was a factor in the cruise ship death of Brisbane mother Dianne Brimble, a Sydney inquest found this year.
Queensland Attorney-General Kerry Shine said the product had "fallen through the cracks" of Australia's product safety measures.
"I would hope, as a result of the investigations that will follow this event, that recommendations to reduce those cracks will come to light," Mr Shine told reporters in Brisbane.
Concerns were first raised about the product at The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, on Monday after two children - a two-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl - required intensive care treatment after eating the beads.
A two-year-old boy from Toowoomba, in southeastern Queensland, was flown to a Brisbane hospital on Tuesday after also eating the beads, but was discharged after making a full recovery on Wednesday afternoon.
The NSW government banned the sale of Bindeez beads early Tuesday, with Queensland, the ACT, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory following suit.
Victoria's Consumer Affairs Minister Tony Robinson banned Bindeez beads on Wednesday morning, saying the delay was due to the Melbourne Cup holiday.
In Brisbane, Mr Shine foreshadowed possible legal action against Moose Enterprise.
"Consideration is being given as to whether or not any action will be taken against the company in relation to the supply of an unsafe product," he said.
Retailers around the country face significant fines if they continue to sell the product. Refunds for Bindeez beads are available by calling 1800 303 895. Kidsafe Victoria called for the introduction of a national red alert safety system on dangerous products to be fast-tracked, especially with Christmas approaching.
President Mark Stokes said the system would ensure a coordinated approach to banning dangerous toys or products across Australia. He said the system should also include a national email alert to schools, daycare centres and preschools.
"The bottom line is that if a product is proven to be dangerous in one state it is just plain commonsense it does not become safe just because it is located in another area," he said.
© 2007 AAP