The toy Aqua Dots has been recalled after two children in the US and three in Australia were hospitalized after ingesting the dots. The toy is called “Bindeez” in Australia.
The toy beads are sold in general merchandise stores and over the Internet for use in arts and crafts projects. They can be arranged into designs and fused when sprayed with water.
Scientists say a chemical coating on the beads, when ingested, metabolizes into the so-called date rape drug gamma hydroxy butyrate. When eaten, the compound — made from common and easily available ingredients — can induce unconsciousness, seizures, drowsiness, coma and death.
Just the day before yesterday, I was looking at these in a sale flier and thinking to myself, “These look cool, but there is no way I would buy them. If the beads fuse together when sprayed with water, I don’t even want to think about what kind of nasty chemicals they are made out of.”
Well, now I know: Date rape drugs.
5:15 pm on November 10th, 2007
Yup, sounded like a neat toy to me too…
Just heard From Ch. 3’s 11 o’clock news that our local Kmart was carrying the product up until yesterday.
They have said they will be taking the product down.