Get the lead out While no one would mistake the jewelry that comes out of vending machines for the crown jewels, most of us probably also don't see much harm in letting a clamoring child have one of these trinkets now and then. After all, 50 cents is a small price to pay on an occasional basis if it heads a public temper tantrum off at the pass. But it turns out that these harmless-seeming lockets and bracelets could pose a very real threat to your child. On top of the general poor craftsmanship that easily allows for small pieces to break off, a lot of this jewelry also has an extraordinarily large lead content. So if a child does happen to put a broken piece of clasp or chain into her mouth it's not just the risk of choking you have to worry about -- lead poisoning also comes into play. That's what happened last year to 4-year-old Jarnell Brown, who died after she swallowed a part of a charm bracelet that turned out to be 90 percent lead. That's 89.94 percent more than the amount the Consumer Product Safety Commission is attempting to make the legal limit for lead content in children's jewelry. The EPA's response to this? They're sending letters to 120 companies that manufacture these sorts of products, telling them that they must provide health and safety studies if their products contain lead. Letters? Studies? What about just banning lead altogether instead of using children as human guinea pigs for these experiments in lead "safety"? Sadly, that thought doesn't seem to have even crossed their minds. So it's up to you to monitor the types of products your children and grandchildren are exposed to. And it's not just vending-machine jewelry to be on the lookout for. Other metallic products -- particularly imported ones you find in discount or dollar stores -- can also be cause for concern (things like toys and zippers). While you may not be able to avoid products containing lead entirely (or even know which ones contain it to begin with), you can limit your child's risk somewhat by making sure they keep things out of their mouths, by not buying cheaply made metal toys, and by just saying no at those vending machines. | 
