U.S., Australia recall Aqua Dots toys that contain date-rape drug

The beads -- one of the bright stars of the season -- metabolizes into GHB when ingested. It has sickened at least five children.

Last update: November 7, 2007 - 8:18 PM

Millions of Chinese-made toys for children 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 United States and three in Australia were hospitalized after swallowing the beads.

In a separate recall, more than 405,000 other Chinese products, mostly toy cars, were ordered off shelves because of dangerous levels of lead. It includes about 7,200 "Big Red" Wagons imported by Northern Tool & Equipment Co. of Burnsville, Minn. The toys were sold through the company's catalog, website and retail stores nationwide from July through September for about $60. Customers should take the wagon from children and return it to any Northern Tool store for a free replacement.

Also recalled were 380,000 Pull-Back Action Toy Cars; 7,500 Dragster and Funny Car toys; Duck Family Collectable Wind-Up Toy, Dizzy Ducks Music Box, "Robot 2000" collectable tin robot and Winnie-the-Pooh Spinning Top.

With only seven weeks until Christmas, it was yet another blow to toy industry -- already bruised by recalls this summer.

In the bead recall, scientists say a chemical coating on the toy, when ingested, metabolizes into the so-called date rape drug gamma hydroxy butyrate or GHB. When eaten, the compound can induce unconsciousness, seizures, drowsiness, coma and death.

In the United States, the toy -- which can be arranged into designs and fused when sprayed with water -- goes by the name Aqua Dots and are 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.

Moose Enterprises said the toys are made at a Shenzhen factory. The company said that the product is distributed in 40 countries but that it was up to the countries and distributors to determine whether to pull the product.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the recall hours after reports that Australia had pulled the products. CPSC said the recall includes products sold from April through November for between $17 and $30.

A Target spokeswoman said the Minneapolis-based chain was taking action immediately. "Out of an abundance of caution we went ahead and began pulling the toys today," spokeswoman Amy Von Walter said Wednesday. She said Aqua Dots are being removed from its shelves and from online shopping. Toys "R" Us also said it pulled Aqua Dots.

The two U.S. children who swallowed the beads and were hospitalized went into comas, CPSC commission spokesman Scott Wolfson said. The Wall Street Journal reported they are now fine.

The news jolted the toy industry because Aqua Dots has been one of the few stars of the toy selling season, which has gotten off to a sluggish start. The item had appeared on many toy experts' list of must-have holiday toys.

Chris Byrne, a New York-based toy consultant, noted that the incidents could have been isolated, and Spin Master may be erring on the side of caution. "This is something that they could not have foreseen. This is an extremely hot toy. ... It's a little scary."

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