WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | Toy beads that metabolizes into 'date rape' drug pulled from shelves

Toy beads that metabolizes into 'date rape' drug pulled from shelves

NATIONAL (NBC) - The wildly popular craft beads known in the US as Aqua Dots have been huge sellers.

Young Heather Lehane in Australia loved them, until she put them in her mouth.

"The ambulance wasn't that long in coming, but she was in such a state, so un-well. She was pale, and just the vomiting and the fitting, we just couldn't believe," said Charlotte Lehane, Heather's Mother.

Two children in the US and three in Australia have been hospitalized for eating Aqua Dots.

Only then was it discovered why.

When ingested, the body metabolizes the toy's adhesive into a compound similar to a date rape drug, potentially triggering seizures, even coma.

US health officials say the problem was in how the toys were made, in China.

"There was a substitution of adhesive into the product. It wasn't known at the time that that's what would happen," said CPSC Spokesperson Julie Vallese.

Four million Aqua Dots toys are now ordered off store shelves in the US.

Pam Smith of Houston saw the news and returned hers already, "I looked up on the screen and there it was, Aqua Dots. So I said I have my receipt, I just bought it today so we can't have it."

Aqua Dots made Wal-Mart's top twelve Christmas toys, sold as Bindeez, Australia's top toy of the year.

Now, it's a top worry for health officials and parents.

Consumers should immediately take the recalled toy away from children and contact Spin Master to return for free replacement beads or a toy of equal value.

Contact Spin Master at (800) 622-8339 between 9am and 6pm ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site.

Parents of kids who've been playing with the toy should look out for symptoms that could start off looking like the flu.

Posted by Bryce Mursch