Health alert, health alert! If you don’t want to glow in the dark, you must dump your Miley Cyrus jewelry with haste. It turns out the Cyrus-branded necklaces and bracelets that have been sold by Wal-Mart are hazardous to your health — particularly if you are in the habit of putting said items in your mouth.
The exclusive line of babbles that were developed as part of the Hannah Montana ‘tween’ craze, contain Cadmium. Exposure to this chemical element can lead to bone softening and kidney failure…not to mention the possibility of hindered brain development.
It was the Associated Press that first discovered the high level of Cadmium and did their own independent study in January, which included sending AP reporters to buy Miley jewelry samples in stores throughout the country. Professor and chemist Jeff Weidenhamer, of Ashland University in Ohio, tested 61 sample items, and discovered that 59 of them contained at least 5% Cadmium, 53 of them contained 10% or high.
Weidenhamer published a report detailing his findings and definitely got the attention of Wal-Mart. The big box retailer was quick to point out that the possibility of harm only exists if the jewelry is sucked on or chewed — and the intended target consumer is age 14 and up.
Caving against a public outcry, they have removed the 13 different products from their store shelves. Wal-Mart has developed a new policy requiring their suppliers to prove that all products contain little or no Cadmium.
We have empathy for Miley in the wake of this snafu. First it was her tattoo, then it was the lap dance…where will it end?
Photo credit: PicApp plus jewelry screenshot