Nerf Gun Makes Dreaded Annual List

World Against Toys Causing Harm unveils its pre-Christmas warning
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Nov 19, 2019 12:24 PM CST
The Annual 'Toys Causing Harm' List Is Out
James Swartz, director of World Against Toys Causing Harm, talks about the Nerf Ultra One during a news conference in Boston, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019.   (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

A Nerf dart gun, ice cream-scented Nickelodeon slime, and a plastic Power Rangers claw are among the toys topping a consumer safety group's list of worst toys for the holidays, the AP reports. World Against Toys Causing Harm unveiled its annual list Tuesday at a Boston children's hospital. A realistic toy machine gun, a "pogo trick board," a yeti teddy bear, and a pull-along caterpillar toy for infants also made the list. The Massachusetts-based nonprofit has been releasing the list for more than 40 years. It says many of the products present choking, eye, and other safety hazards frequently found in poorly designed toys. It also cites the products for having inconsistent and inadequate warnings labels.

The organization says the Nerf Ultra One gun, which is billed as firing soft darts up to 120 feet, shoots the projectiles with enough force to potentially cause eye injuries. It also says the warning label on Flybar’s Pogo Trick Board tells children to wear protection, but the packaging features a child using the device without protection. And Nickelodeon’s Frozen Treats Slime includes mint chocolate chip and berry smoothie-scented versions of the goo even as it warns the products contain harmful chemicals and shouldn't be eaten. The Toy Association, a toy industry trade group, dismissed the annual list as misleading. "By law, all toys sold in the United States must meet 100+ rigorous safety tests and standards," it says. (Elsewhere, a wine hack saved a boy whose tongue got stuck in a bottle.)

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