Aug 6, 2012
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The company that makes a popular magnetic desk toy for adults wants to know why the federal government is trying to shut down their business – a move the company’s founder is calling “unfair, unjust and un-American.”
Craig Zucker, the CEO and founder of BuckyBalls, has launched a national advertising campaign to save his company from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
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“Dear President Obama,” Zucker wrote in a full-page ad that appeared in the Washington Post. “I know that you support small business. And now I need your help to save ours from being shut down by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.”
The CPSC has filed a lawsuit against Maxfield & Oberton claiming Buckyballs and Buckycube desk toys “pose a substantial risk of injury to the public.”
They want the company to stop selling its product.
There have been a handful of reports that children and teenagers have swallowed the tiny magnetic balls. Sabrina Lopez, of Bakersfield, Calif. had to undergo two surgeries after the 12-year-old swallowed four of the Buckyballs pieces, USA Today reported.
Betty Lopez, the child’s mother, told the newspaper that she never saw the warning label on the packaging and said it “wasn’t sufficient enough for the parent who did buy them.”
But Zucker said the product packaging includes five different warning labels – and clearly markets the item as an adult desk toy.
“Our packaging has warnings in five different locations,” he said. “Five times more than a package of cigarettes.”
Zucker said the CPSC wants to shut down his $50 million a year company.
“The worst case scenario – we’re out of business,” he said. “I walk in and tell my employees and my 200 sales reps that we’re all out of business.”
Zucker said there has been only handful of injuries connected to the product – compared with many more from children swallowing balloons. The injury level, he said, is extremely low.
“Balloons send hundreds of kids to the hospital each year,” he said. “But they don’t require a warning on each balloon.”
Zucker said he believes the federal government has overstepped its reach.
“They have acted absurdly,” he said. “This is an adult product. How do you regulate an adult product like this without following the rules of other products?”
He said he suspects the federal government targeted his company because they were “an easy target.”
“We’re a small company,” he said. “They thought we wouldn’t fight back and they would get a political win going into an election season.”
Zucker and his business partner started the company in 2009. The company grew from an initial investment of $2,000 to a $50 million brand.
“It what I believed going into the business was the American dream,” he said. ‘Within seven days it’s been dismantled by the government agency called the Consumer Protection Safety Commission.”
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The bleach bottle in my washroom says it can kill you if you drink it. I still find an irresistible urge to drink it. I need the professors and government to save me!!!! They should ban bleach immediately! What about batteries? I just have to suck on them. Please save me government!!! I won't survive without you!
is that the bleach or coolaide making us think we need them to survive
Oh my god, I was driving and spilled coffee from McDonalds in my lap. It burned me! How should I know it was hot? I need a warning label.
Oh my god, I was driving and spilled coffee from McDonalds in my lap. It burned me! How should I know it was hot? I need a warning label.
So here in Vegas a 12 yo steps out of a car barefoot onto 150+ degree asphalt and blisters his feet. Do we have the city tile all asphalt with warnings? No! It's what natural selection is all about! Common sense is not common anymore! But instead of posting to FB we should be writing the CPSC. I am so sick and tired of the ignorance that is plaguing the USA. We have this wonderful social media and instead of banding together to put a stop to our out of control GOV we post stupid sh¡t . I wish we could all band together again so we are by the people and for the people and not all separated like our gov wants.
So here in Vegas a 12 yo steps out of a car barefoot onto 150+ degree asphalt and blisters his feet. Do we have the city tile all asphalt with warnings? No! It's what natural selection is all about! Common sense is not common anymore! But instead of posting to FB we should be writing the CPSC. I am so sick and tired of the ignorance that is plaguing the USA. We have this wonderful social media and instead of banding together to put a stop to our out of control GOV we post stupid sh¡t . I wish we could all band together again so we are by the people and for the people and not all separated like our gov wants.
In this economy to shut down a company employing so many people is insane! These are sold as items for adults not children and they have 5 warning labels on them.My 7 year old grandson has many toys that have small magnetic parts but he has been taught not to put them in his mouth , he knows better shouldn't a 12 yr old? The Government is over stepping big time and should not be allowed to get away with this IMO.
People should raise their children not to be morons. We have these at work – no one as died yet.
People should raise their children not to be morons. We have these at work – no one as died yet.
though I don't agree with shutting the business down I do understand the concern. I read some comments about how come a 12y/o doesn't know better not to swallow/ eat these tiny balls; this 12year old my have a special needs child. also these little balls can be misplaced and a infant can pick it up from the ground and swallow them. this is not the first incident where neodymium magnets (the rare earth metal in Buckyballs) shaped just like buckyball in other not-so popular brands. there have been numerous incidents where children and infants had to be rushed into surgery, nearing death cause of what this product is made from.
richard – non issue. if this 12 y/o is mentally challenged then the parents knew damned well to treat her in accordance with her equivalent mental capacity. so in other words it's the parents fault either way. either the 12 y/o is normal and a moron. or the 12 y/o has the mental capacity of a much younger child who's parents are responsible for her. either way they suck as parents and should be charged with neglect and endangerment. oh and regardless of all the other variables. we can't, and should have to safety pad the whole freeking world everytime some idiot does something stupid.
though I don't agree with shutting the business down I do understand the concern. I read some comments about how come a 12y/o doesn't know better not to swallow/ eat these tiny balls; this 12year old my have a special needs child. also these little balls can be misplaced and a infant can pick it up from the ground and swallow them. this is not the first incident where neodymium magnets (the rare earth metal in Buckyballs) shaped just like buckyball in other not-so popular brands. there have been numerous incidents where children and infants had to be rushed into surgery, nearing death cause of what this product is made from.
The ONLY reason you are being harassed by the feds, is because you did not donate to Obama and are possibly giving money to Romney.
KJ
I have seen identical magnetic ball toys, under a different name, at a nearby toy store. Is that company being shut down too, or is Mr. Zucker's company being singled out while the others are left on the market?
If we follow the Consumer Protection Safety Commission logic then we have to get rid of the penny. How many of those get swallowed each year. Hell, I swallowed one when I was six myself.
I hate the CSPC! First they take away our lawn darts, then no Back to the Future Hoverboards
, and now no Buckyballs! BOO!
When as a youth about the time inflatable tires became the vogue, I swallowed a cats eye marble, and when I informed a wise mature adult the Response was "This too shall Pass". It did!
Two words… Natural Selection!
Why can't the government just let natural selection work? If we keep allowing the unfit to propagate then it will further degrade the population. Actually I recant that statement. Most fit genes seek out other fit genes so we are going to end up with two different types of what used to be humans. The ones that can take care of themselves and the ones that can not. It will not take long. In fact, I propose we give objects that are harmless in the hands of someone of just average intelligence, to everyone so the stupid people will weed themselves out.
Name one product on the market that could not possibly, in any conceivable way, injure someone, no matter how stupid he is or what he did with it. Anything too big to be swallowed could blind someone if you stuck it in his eye, or if it's bigger than his head, you could drop it on him.
This isn't your father's america.
I like bucky balls, they are kool, they are fun, they will drive you crazy, but there not edible so if your kid eats them your the idiot for not teaching them that rare earth magnets aren't food.. Maybe o'l pendeja should have read the label and explained to her ignorant 12 yr old cur not to eat them..