I just got of the phone after a brief conversation with the media contact for the company which markets Buckyballs, the nifty magnetic toy for adults, which the Consumer Products Safety Commission has banned because a small number of children ate the things and had to have surgery. (For the record, Buckyballs are marketed to adults, and eating magnets is contraindicated since it can lead to things like a perforated bowel, constipation and, oh, death.)
I’ll be having a longer conversation with Andrew Frank tomorrow, but he left me with this rather pungent quote: “You can buy 6,000 rounds of ammunition online but pretty soon you won’t be able to buy Buckyballs.”
Now I have no problem with someone buying 100,000 rounds of ammunition if they have the money, but it’s a valid point.
More later.
Not to argue that Buckyballs should be banned, but pointing out the actual apples-to-apples comparison:
I think it’s easier to pass .45 rounds.
Ball or hollow point?
SXT’s, Hydra-Shok, or Golden Sabre?
Oh I dont’ think EITHER of them should be banned, that’s not the point.
To be fair there are other important differences. Buckyballs are a toy, the sort of thing you leave out and kids will play with. It is not something parents might think is obviously dangerous like ammunition or household chemicals which anyone would keep away from children.
On the other hand kids ingest all kinds of things. Coins are the most common but we are not banning those. There is still a specific diagnosis code for “marble in nose” but marbles are not so popular anymore.
It is a perfectly safe toy so long as you don’t leave it out where a toddler might get it. The company should just package it with warnings to educate parents that it is not safe around small children.
Oddly enough, there’s warnings all over the package that the product is not intended for children of any age and is marketed specifically to adults.
To be fair.
Then we agree.
If it is not safe for children and clearly labeled as such there is no problem.
How about a ban on government being in the banning business. Buckyballs, ammo, light bulbs….
Good thing i already got some i guess, sad day.
The problem with the CPSC, it’s director and staff are unaccountable to ANYONE outside our current ‘executive’ Obama. And he was illegally appointed, to begin with. The Congress can’t countermand it’s regulations without a new law – and who of our wimpy lawmakers will do this? And given our ‘dear leader’ track record, he will probably ignore it anyway.
When Buckyballs are outlawed, only outlaws will have Buckyballs.
I think only government should have Buckyballs…Lord knows that Buttcrack Obama and his staff sure need them.