Sex toys safety questioned
EDMONTON -- Edmonton sex stores are game with regulating the adult sex toy industry to keep harmful chemicals — found in the plastics used in some toys — out of the bedroom.
Toronto Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett sent a letter last week to the federal health minister, claiming chemicals used in most sex toys pose a potential health risk for women.
Bennett, a medical doctor, claims chemicals such as bisphenol A and phthalates, which are used to make plastic soft and flexible, may cause hormonal complications at certain levels of exposure.
Federal regulations already prevent bisophenol A from being used in baby bottles and phthalates can’t be used in toys for children’s mouths, but so far there aren’t any rules preventing its usage in sex toys.
When news broke last year that the chemicals used in plastics were linked to potential health complications, Sandy Keeler, owner of Alluring Intimates in Edmonton, immediately headed to her collection of sex toys on the shelves of her store.
She found about 15% of the products she carrried contained the chemicals, which were mostly found in jelly-substance toys.
She said she wasted no time returning the products to the distributor.
Now she says about 95% of the sex toys she receives indicate on the package they are phthalates free, but it still hasn’t seemed to satisfy all customers concerns.
“More and more people are getting into these toys,” said Keller. “You want to make sure it’s as healthy for you as it possibly can be.”
Edith Johnson, assistant manager at Hush Adult Megastore, said the health and cleanliness of the store’s toys is always the No. 1 priority.
Any product that would put customers at risk of health complications should have a hard time making its way onto store shelves, added Johnson, who is also in favour of taking steps to regular the adult sex toy industry.
“We want to make sure the health of the customer comes first,” she said.
Other sex toy stores in Edmonton have also opted to carry phthalate-free toys, but declined to provide further comment.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2009/12/19/12218571.html
EDMONTON -- Edmonton sex stores are game with regulating the adult sex toy industry to keep harmful chemicals — found in the plastics used in some toys — out of the bedroom.
Toronto Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett sent a letter last week to the federal health minister, claiming chemicals used in most sex toys pose a potential health risk for women.
Bennett, a medical doctor, claims chemicals such as bisphenol A and phthalates, which are used to make plastic soft and flexible, may cause hormonal complications at certain levels of exposure.
Federal regulations already prevent bisophenol A from being used in baby bottles and phthalates can’t be used in toys for children’s mouths, but so far there aren’t any rules preventing its usage in sex toys.
When news broke last year that the chemicals used in plastics were linked to potential health complications, Sandy Keeler, owner of Alluring Intimates in Edmonton, immediately headed to her collection of sex toys on the shelves of her store.
She found about 15% of the products she carrried contained the chemicals, which were mostly found in jelly-substance toys.
She said she wasted no time returning the products to the distributor.
Now she says about 95% of the sex toys she receives indicate on the package they are phthalates free, but it still hasn’t seemed to satisfy all customers concerns.
“More and more people are getting into these toys,” said Keller. “You want to make sure it’s as healthy for you as it possibly can be.”
Edith Johnson, assistant manager at Hush Adult Megastore, said the health and cleanliness of the store’s toys is always the No. 1 priority.
Any product that would put customers at risk of health complications should have a hard time making its way onto store shelves, added Johnson, who is also in favour of taking steps to regular the adult sex toy industry.
“We want to make sure the health of the customer comes first,” she said.
Other sex toy stores in Edmonton have also opted to carry phthalate-free toys, but declined to provide further comment.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2009/12/19/12218571.html
