page_title: Neodymium magnet toys
section_title: Safety controversy
hierarchical_section_title: Neodymium magnet toys / Controversies / Safety controversy
caption_attribution_description: English: A pattern of Buckyballs
context_page_description: Neodymium magnets, usually small spheres, have been manufactured as educational toys, stress relief products, and an artistic medium.
  In the United States, as a result of an estimated 2,900 emergency room visits between 2009 and 2013 due to either "ball-shaped" or "high-powered" magnets, or both, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is actively trying to ban them through rulemaking.
context_section_description: The swallowing of small magnets such as neodymium magnetic spheres can result in intestinal injury requiring surgery. The magnets attract each other through the walls of the stomach and intestine, perforating the bowel. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported 33 cases as of 2010 requiring surgery and one death. The magnets have been swallowed by both toddlers and teens (who were using the magnets to pretend to have tongue piercings). Defenders of the toy say that the rate of injury is approximately 1 injury per 100,000 Buckyball sets and less than 1 injury per 21.5 million individual magnet pieces. The magnets are marketed to adults, with labels warning of their danger to children.
  As a result, Amazon and other retailers agreed to not sell the magnets. As of 2017, however, the magnets were once again available on Amazon.
caption: A pattern of Buckyballs
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