Choking warning urged for food labels

[PeterPan09]

I do that a lot when I read the DIS.

After pages and pages of this topic I just realized the hazard was the shape of the hotdog, not the skin that was on it.

BTW, who gives a toddler a WHOLE hotdog to munch on anyway?[/QUOTE]

from what I can deduce from the comments-someone who didn't get warned by the hot dog company that their toddler could choke on said hot dog.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Simple math is such a powerful tool. Statistics can alway make something sound extreme (1 child every 5 days) until you do the math.

And there was a study of choking deaths in the UK that showed that less than one third of choking deaths are caused by food - more than half are caused by objects like coins. The biggest hazard was balloons, per their study.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

So let's say that after Ball Park and Oscar Mayer put those warnings on the labels...what are we going to say when the next parent lets their toddler have a whole hot dog and he chokes to death? Who will get the blame then? Will we demand that the hot dog people change the shape of the food? Will we blame the education system for not teaching them well enough to read and understand the warning? Will we blame grieving parents for the loss of their child?

One thing is clear - we are not going to blame the parent...

 

[dejr_8]

So let's say that after Ball Park and Oscar Mayer put those warnings on the labels...what are we going to say when the next parent lets their toddler have a whole hot dog and he chokes to death? Who will get the blame then? Will we demand that the hot dog people change the shape of the food? Will we blame the education system for not teaching them well enough to read and understand the warning? Will we blame grieving parents for the loss of their child?

And should they be criminally charged with child abuse/death of the child?

You're so right. Where does it end?

 

[luvmy3]

I am not opposed to companies deciding to voluntarily put this on their labels. According to the spokesman quoted earlier, more than half the brands in the US already put choking hazard information on their labels.

I am opposed to forcing them to do so, or asking for a product recall because they did not do so, or forcing them to produce a "safe shape"...

And where do we draw the line? Will they be pulled off the shelf when parents ignore those labels like they did with the cough syrup because parents were too stupid to pay attention to the dosage and gave their kids too much?

 

[PeterPan09]

And there was a study of choking deaths in the UK that showed that less than one third of choking deaths are caused by food - more than half are caused by objects like coins. The biggest hazard was balloons, per their study.

I actually warned a parent once about letting their toddler bite on a balloon. I was working at the mall in a shoe store, and Mom was trying on shoes. Baby was in the stroller with the balloon in her hands and biting on it. I warned Mom that the baby could pop the balloon with her teeth (all 4 of 'em) and then inhale the plastic. Well, of course Mom didn't believe me, I was a teenager what did I know..until Sweetums popped the balloon! Thank God, she didn't inhale the plastic-she just completely freaked out and screamed like a banshee.

Mom actually apologized to me! She said that she'd never give the kid a balloon again-but I don't think it would be a problem. After it popping in her face like that, she probably still has a traumatic reaction to them!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

if it saves one life....it is worth it.

But if it doesn't accomplish the mission of warning ALL people that it is a choking hazard, then it isn't a true celebration b/c it is ineffective.

I bet you a hot dog--that more lives are saved from the plethora of available information out there.

If people ain't getting it from that--the likilood they'll read the label--ain't going to happen.

Forcing a company to do something to save all of ONE person--is sensationalism.


I almost choked on a coin when I was 4. Wasn't the wisest game I was playing and when I told my parents I had swallowed it--they were none too pleased.

To date, our currency still doesnt' contain a warning label. Perhaps it should--even if it saves just one life!

 

[wvjules]

But if it doesn't accomplish the mission of warning ALL people that it is a choking hazard, then it isn't a true celebration b/c it is ineffective.

I bet you a hot dog--that more lives are saved from the plethora of available information out there.

If people ain't getting it from that--the likilood they'll read the label--ain't going to happen.

Forcing a company to do something to save all of ONE person--is sensationalism.


I almost choked on a coin when I was 4. Wasn't the wisest game I was playing and when I told my parents I had swallowed it--they were none too pleased.

To date, our currency still doesnt' contain a warning label. Perhaps it should--even if it saves just one life!

"e pluribus unum" followed by "just in case you are a moron, your kid could choke on this so beware!"

A bit too long for a coin. Might work on a dollar though. How many people choke on dollars annally?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

"e pluribus unum" followed by "just in case you are a moron, your kid could choke on this so beware!"

A bit too long for a coin. Might work on a dollar though. How many people choke on dollars annally?

Okay--you tickled my funny bone big time with that one.

 

[Myothername]

Well we better put warnings on rope, little girls dresses (heard of a little girl who was sliding down the slide got the dress caught at the top and somehow got it around her neck and was strangled) marshmallows, apples (know of a toddler who choked on the apple skin), irons, stoves, pencils (really sharp), water...

I feel so sorry for those parents who lose a child to choking or some other stupid accident but you can't put a warning on everything and you can't prevent everthing. It takes some common sense. If it is smaller than their fist they don't need it. I know as parents we try to protect our children but my mother swears kids come in to this world trying to kill themselves.

 

[dejr_8]

"e pluribus unum" followed by "just in case you are a moron, your kid could choke on this so beware!"

A bit too long for a coin. Might work on a dollar though. How many people choke on dollars annally?

In Spanish and Braille as well.

 

[luvmy3]

"e pluribus unum" followed by "just in case you are a moron, your kid could choke on this so beware!"

A bit too long for a coin. Might work on a dollar though. How many people choke on dollars annally?

Instead of putting the presidents on our coinage they can just start putting a person doing the sign for choking. Could put babies on pennies and follow through the ages until you reach senior citizens on the half dollar.

 

[NatashaDisneyCM]

But if it doesn't accomplish the mission of warning ALL people that it is a choking hazard, then it isn't a true celebration b/c it is ineffective.

I bet you a hot dog--that more lives are saved from the plethora of available information out there.

If people ain't getting it from that--the likilood they'll read the label--ain't going to happen.

Forcing a company to do something to save all of ONE person--is sensationalism.


I almost choked on a coin when I was 4. Wasn't the wisest game I was playing and when I told my parents I had swallowed it--they were none too pleased.

To date, our currency still doesnt' contain a warning label. Perhaps it should--even if it saves just one life!

If it saves one life it is worth it! what do you care anyways..are you paying for it? I am not! I do not eat meat, or a sort like substance anyway!! But I am involved with food labels!

 

[krcit]

and the water company needs to put a warning on the faucet too..you can choke on a really small amount of water too..oh, and you can also choke on your own spit....

Take this "we must warn" syndrome to it's logical conclusion and you see how crazy it becomes.

A child is dead and there has to be someone at fault. We don't want to blame obviously grieving parents, so we come up with a "villian"-the hot dog package did not have a proper warning!!!

Who is blaming the hotdog package?? I didn't see anyone blaming the hotdog companies. I saw a parent who is heartbroken over her child and wants to try to make sure that that doesn't happen to anyone elses' child. What is so wrong with that?? None of the posts on here that I read(unless I missed some)that think this is a good idea is saying to take away parental responsibility or to place blame on the food industry. We are saying that if this raises awareness and educates someone who didn't know or realize the chocking hazards of certain foods then what is the harm??

 

[dejr_8]

If it saves one life it is worth it! what do you care anyways..are you paying for it? I am not! I do not eat meat, or a sort like substance anyway!! But I am involved with food labels!

Yes. Any cost will be passed onto me as the consumer.

 

[luvsJack]

So let's say that after Ball Park and Oscar Mayer put those warnings on the labels...what are we going to say when the next parent lets their toddler have a whole hot dog and he chokes to death? Who will get the blame then? Will we demand that the hot dog people change the shape of the food? Will we blame the education system for not teaching them well enough to read and understand the warning? Will we blame grieving parents for the loss of their child?

I don't see it as finding someone to blame, I see it as taking the opportunity to maybe save a life. We don't have to blame anyone for anything.
Why can't we say, this is what happened and that is something that may prevent it from happening again? Why can't we just try to come up with solutions to prevent these tragedies without finding someone to blame? And yes a label would be one step in finding a solution.

 

[luvsJack]

Yes. Any cost will be passed onto me as the consumer.

I am sure hot dog prices will sky rocket.

 

[DizBelle]

Completely asinine. Completely...

The hot dog company has to put a new warning on their labels. That costs money. Where does that money come from? Either the hot dog company has to increase the cost of their hot dogs or they have to cut their costs to make up for it. How much more are willing to pay for hot dogs? How much are you willing to pay for the additional booklet of warnings that are now required to accompany the purchase of hot dogs? Who is willing to lose their job to cover the cost of a new warning on a label? Gee, I don't see any hands up. If you think adding a label to anything is "free", you are dead wrong.

This is not ridiculous. I know of a company that had to lay off a fair percentage of their employees to cover the increased cost of COBRA mandated by the government. Silly really, this legislation designed to assist those that lost their jobs just caused more people to lose their jobs. Seems like it could have been thought out a bit more.

 

[luvsJack]

Completely asinine. Completely...

The hot dog company has to put a new warning on their labels. That costs money. Where does that money come from? Either the hot dog company has to increase the cost of their hot dogs or they have to cut their costs to make up for it. How much more are willing to pay for hot dogs? How much are you willing to pay for the additional booklet of warnings that are now required to accompany the purchase of hot dogs? Who is willing to lose their job to cover the cost of a new warning on a label? Gee, I don't see any hands up. If you think adding a label to anything is "free", you are dead wrong.

This is not ridiculous. I know of a company that had to lay off a fair percentage of their employees to cover the increased cost of COBRA mandated by the government. Silly really, this legislation designed to assist those that lost their jobs just caused more people to lose their jobs. Seems like it could have been thought out a bit more.

Where did it say "booklet of warnings"? One little label that would be made as part of the packaging.

I just don't see it as being as expensive as COBRA.

 

[dejr_8]

Where did it say "booklet of warnings"? One little label that would be made as part of the packaging.

I just don't see it as being as expensive as COBRA.

Because lawyers will see this as another cash cow which will lead to more and more warnings.

I can see the commercials now...

Has you child choked on a hotdog?
Were you unaware of the dangers of a hotdog?
If so, we may be able to get money for you!