The Recall Desk
HighCPSC·79056·Announced 1979-10-03

CBS Toys Recalls Four Million Giggle Sticks Due to Choking Hazard

CBS Toys is voluntarily recalling four million Giggle Stick toys because small internal reeds can fall out and pose a choking hazard to young children.

What this means for you

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a choking hazard where three children choked, but no injuries were reported, fitting the rubric for risk-of-harm products where injury has not yet been reported.

Plain-English summary

CBS Toys, a division of CBS, Inc., is voluntarily recalling four million units of the Gabriel "Giggle Stick" toy. The toy consists of a hollow yellow plastic tube that produces noise when shaken. Young children can remove the red end-caps, exposing an interior plastic cylinder that houses a small metal reed. In some toys with open-end caps, these reeds have fallen out.

Since March 1979, three children have choked on the reeds, according to CBS Toys. No injuries have resulted from these incidents. The toys were manufactured starting in December 1978 and sold in variety stores nationwide for less than $2. They are advertised as suitable for children ages 3 and older.

Parents should return the toys to retailers for a refund or a redesigned "Giggle Stick" that eliminates the safety hazard. Consumers can also mail used toys to Gabriel Industries in Hagerstown, Maryland, for a refund or replacement. Redesigned toys can be identified by the words "New, Improved" on the red cardboard flag wrapped around the toy.

The recalled product

Product
CBS Toys Giggle Sticks
Manufacturer
CBS
Category
Consumer Product — Toys
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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