A British woman was impaled by a metal straw after falling at her home, a coroner said in an inquest that highlighted the potential dangers of metal straws. Such straws have surged in popularity as cities, states and even countries have banned single-use plastic straws.
Elena Struthers-Gardner, 60, who had a disability, fell and sustained a traumatic brain injury in November when the 10-inch straw pierced her eye, said the coroner's report.
Struthers-Gardner's wife, Mandy, said in a statement read at the inquest that her partner had been a former jockey and was prone to falls after a horseback riding injury.
A British straw ban will go into effect in April, but the push against single-use straws has encountered opposition from some caregivers and advocates for people with disabilities.
NEW YORK TIMES
