this post was submitted on 21 Oct 2023
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I checked through the links, and what I did find, besides the childrens magnets is that 1/4 of the magnets were small magnet balls, so it is not like it is an uncommon thing. If magnets are ingested they can cause serious surgical emergencies, which will lead to having to cut out part of the intestines as well as potentially cause peritonitis, the surgery will have lifelong consequences, it is of course also possible to die from complications. And small powerful magnets cause the most damage.
Generally the only other foreign body that is as bad to ingest as small magnets are batteries.
Regarding the warnings - Ill say it again, noone really reads those , everyone I have known with the balls has had them on full display without safety. People for solid things like this just look at the warnings and go, well duh its a choking hazard. And then of course theres the classic reasoning of but my kid is smarter.
Is the CPSC right? I mean, their reason stands solid, their response maybe disproportionate. That said I think the idea that the magnet industry somehow wronged the CPSC is a bit conspiratorial.
Also I would not classify drugs as household chemicals, hence why I chose bleach as my example. The other really bad offender for household chemicals used to be 70% vinegar, but that one was banned in the EU, so now we can only buy 9% which will not cause more than an upset stomach generally, most other common household chemicals will not be as bad and many of them still have childproof locks.