Health Canada Is Warning That These Toys Pose 'Serious & Potentially Life-Threatening Risks'
Canadians are being told to "immediately stop using" the toys.
Health Canada sign.
A warning has been issued by Health Canada about magnetic toys that can cause "serious and potentially life-threatening risks."
On May 12, Health Canada put out an advisory about multiple DigitDots Magnetic Balls products because of the injury hazard related to the ingestion of magnets.
The government agency said it has now determined that the magnet sets are "prohibited" because they're a danger to human health and safety since they exceed the maximum limit of magnetic force.
The affected products are:
- DigitDots 3 mm Magnetic Balls - sold as aggregated loose magnets in sets of 512 multi-coloured magnetic balls.
- DigitDots 5 mm Magnetic Balls - sold as aggregated loose magnets in sets of 222 silver magnetic balls.
- DigitDots 5 mm Magnetic Balls - sold as aggregated loose magnets in sets of 224 multi-coloured magnetic balls.
Health Canada is warning Canadians of the "serious danger" posed by the DigitDots magnet sets that were sold online to Canadians by HD Premier.
"These sets contain small, powerful magnets that can be easily swallowed by children of all ages, posing serious and potentially life-threatening risks," the government department said.
If more than one powerful magnet is swallowed in a short period of time, the magnets can then attract each other while in the intestines.
That can cause the intestines to twist, which could lead to blockages or tears of the intestines.
"Swallowing more than one magnet can damage gastrointestinal tissues and can require emergency surgical treatment, resulting in possible long-term health effects and even death," Health Canada said.
Canadians are being told to "immediately stop using" the magnet sets, check that all of their pieces are accounted for and then safely dispose of the products.
Also, if one or magnets have been swallowed, immediate medical attention should be sought.
According to Health Canada, the products have been removed from HD Premier's website and the company has already voluntarily recalled the affected products in the U.S.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.