"TOYS ARE FLYING off the shelves this holiday season, but it's not because shoppers are grabbing them up. Instead, a slew of widespread health and safety recalls are responsible for making some of this season's most popular toys scarce.
Just last week, the Consumer Product Safety Commission ordered the recall of 4.2 million sets of Aqua Dots craft sets because a chemical coating on the brightly-colored beads breaks down into the date-rape drug known as GHB when ingested. One of Toy Wishes magazine's "Hot Holiday Dozen," Aqua Dots has caused seizure-like spasms and shallow comas in seven U.S. children. Two days later, another recall urged parents to return some 175,000 Curious George plush toys to the manufacturer, Marvel Toys, because of lead content in the paint on the doll's face and hat."
