The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted to grant a petition to require child-resistant packaging for mouthwash containing more than 5 percent ethanol (alcohol). The Commission must propose and finalize a regulation under the Poison Prevention Packaging Act before the child- resistant packaging would be required. The petition was submitted by the Attorneys General of several states and territories, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Association of Poison Control Centers, and the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
CPSC knows of three deaths since 1984 to children under 5 years of age who drank mouthwash containing ethanol. The American Association of Poison Control Centers has 10,193 reports of ingestions of mouthwash with ethanol by children under 6 years of age in a recent 5-year period. The accessibility and appeal of mouthwash may increase the probability of poisoning by children.
Two industry trade associations have announced plans for a voluntary program to label and place mouthwash with more than 5 percent ethanol in child-resistant packaging. The proposed date by which the industry program would be in full force is May, 1995.
Child-resistant packaging has been very effective in reducing deaths and injuries associated with accidental ingestion of medicines and household chemicals. CPSC estimates that child- resistant packaging for aspirin and oral prescription medicine saved the lives of about 700 children since the requirements went into effect in the early 1970s. However, this success story has not eliminated the poisoning problem in America. In 1990, 49 children under age 5 died from accidental poisoning with medicines or household chemicals. Nearly a million consumers called poison control centers about actual or "near-miss" child poisonings last year.
CPSC granted this Poison Prevention Packaging Act petition as part of its mission to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. The Commission's objective is to reduce the estimated 28.6 million injuries and 21,700 deaths associated each year with the 15,000 different types of consumer products under CPSC's jurisdiction.
About the U.S. CPSC
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. Since the CPSC was established more than 50 years ago, it has worked to ensure the safety of consumer products, which has contributed to a decline in injuries associated with these products.
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