The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued an urgent warning to dispose of a magnetic game immediately due to severe ingestion risks for children.
On Thursday, the CPSC alerted the public that “Magnetic Chess Games” sold by JOMO, a China-based company, contain magnets that do not meet U.S. federal safety standards. The commission stated that these “loose, hazardous magnets pose a risk of serious injury or death.”
Despite the CPSC issuing a violation notice to JOMO, the company has not agreed to recall the Magnetic Chess Games or offer a remedy. As a result, the commission strongly advises consumers to stop using the game and discard it immediately.
According to the CPSC, the games were sold online at walmart.com in a blue box labeled “Magnetic” on both the front and back. The game includes about 20 loose black magnets but does not contain chess-shaped pieces, contrary to its marketing.
The duration and timeline of these sales remain unclear. A CPSC spokesperson mentioned that further information is unavailable due to JOMO’s lack of cooperation.
Walmart, emphasizing the health and safety of its customers, stated that it began working to remove the games shortly after the CPSC issued its warning on Thursday.
Experts have consistently highlighted the significant dangers associated with swallowing magnets, particularly for children. If high-powered magnets are ingested, they can attract each other or other metal objects within the body, potentially becoming lodged in the digestive system and leading to blockage, infection, blood poisoning, or even death.
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The CPSC estimates that an average of 2,400 cases of magnet ingestion were treated in hospitals annually between 2017 and 2021. The commission is also aware of eight deaths related to magnet ingestion between 2005 and 2021, with two of those occurring outside the U.S.
