U.S. Recalls Aqua Dots Toys Because of 'Date-Rape' Drug

Courtney Mills

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Spin Master Toys of Toronto, Canada in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a recall for over 4 million packages of Aqua Dots because the coating applied on these toy beads breaks down in the stomachs of toddlers into GHB, the notorious 'date-rape' drug.

Aqua Dots are chemically-coated toy beads that fuse together once sprayed with water. Known as Bindeez in Australia, the first case of poisoning by toy bead ingestion happened in Australia. Since then, according to media reports at least two American children and three Australian children have been hospitalized because of eating the tiny toy beads.

Aqua Dots, which were originally made in China, were meant to be huge seller for Christmas this year. But the colorful chemically-coated beads fit easily into the mouths of toddlers and, if swallowed, form a dangerous compound in the stomach called gamma hydroxy butyrate, otherwise known as the 'date rape' drug, GHB. GHB induces sedation, respiratory depression, and in some people seizures and death.

If your child has a set of Aqua Dots or Bindeez then it is important to remove the dots from play immediately, as they represent a serious health hazard.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Defective and Dangerous Products.