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Business Owners Want Eased Restrictions on Child Safety

In a time of recession, some people think that any pro-business argument will hold sway. I was stunned to read in MarketWatch (12/3, Okray) that “small-business owners called on Congress  to ease child-safety policies” because “they can’t afford to comply with the new regulations” in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. It looks … Read more

Dosing instructions for children’s OTC medicines potentially dangerous

Parents, you may know this first hand, but here is confirmation for you. The Los Angeles Times (12/1, Roan) reports that, according to a study published online Nov. 30 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, “many over-the-counter, liquid medications meant for children contain dosing instructions and measuring cups or droppers that rarely match … Read more

Shop Safely During the Holidays!

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! Now that we’re into the Christmas season, I want to remind you that while you’re out shopping, criminals are also making the rounds. Here are 10 tips to help you stay safe during the holidays: Avoiding Pickpockets: Pickpocketing is a common crime in the streets and … Read more

Be Safe This Thanksgiving

With heavy traffic and drivers over indulging in merlot and tryptophan, Thanksgiving can be an especially dangerous holiday on the roads. Add to this a little road rage, inclement weather and extra drivers avoiding those enhanced pat downs and this Thanksgiving may be a little more perilous. In fact, between 1998 and 2008 there was … Read more

Alcoholic Energy Drinks “Adulterated”

Here’s the next installment about caffeine/alcohol drinks. The New York Times (11/16, A14, Goodnough, Frosch) reported, “A year after it began reviewing whether energy drinks that combine alcohol and caffeine are safe or legal, the Food and Drug Administration is expected to take a stand on the drinks as soon as Wednesday, according to law … Read more

Lead Content Found in Reusable Bags

  USA Today (11/15, Armour) reports, “Lead found in some reusable grocery bags is raising concerns that the toxin could pose environmental or health concerns to consumers.” Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) “is asking for a federal investigation into the reusable bags following a series by The Tampa Tribune. The newspaper found lead in bags purchased … Read more

FDA Bans Alcoholic Energy Drinks

  You may have seen this story in yesterday’s Inquirer. The AP (11/18) reported that, the Food and Drug Administration issued warning letters Wednesday to four manufacturers of alcoholic energy drinks, saying the caffeine added to their beverages is an “unsafe food additive”. In other words, the combination of caffeine and alcohol in drinks is … Read more

Injuries caused by nursery products increased 21% in 2009

  Bloomberg News reported that “Injuries caused by cribs, strollers, high chairs and other nursery products spiked 21 percent in 2009 from the previous year, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said. Regulators estimated there were 77,300 emergency-room visits related to products aimed at children younger than 5 years old, compared with 63,700 in 2008, … Read more

Fast Food Companies Increase Marketing to Children

The Los Angeles Times (11/9, Stein) reports some fast food companies “have ramped up their marketing efforts in the past couple of years,” according to data from Yale’s Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity. Investigators reached that conclusion after looking at “12 large national fast food chains,” zeroing in on “nutritional information” about “more … Read more

Nissan recalls 604,500 vehicles

  The recalls just keep coming. Please folks, if you own a Nissan Sentra, Frontier or Xterra, read this announcement. On Thursday, Nissan recalled over half a million vehicles in the Americas and Africa on over fears that a fault could cause the steering column to crack.” CNNMoney.com The following day, CNNMoney.com (reported that, “Nissan … Read more