Toys 'R' Us Ad Campaign Riles Some

AP ^ | Fri Oct 31, 9:25 PM ET | JOE CAREY

[Jean S]

WASHINGTON - A Toys "R" Us television commercial that featured the company's mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe, inhaling helium from a balloon has drawn the ire of anti-drug advocates who say the ad sends a dangerous message to children.

"Any portrayal of inhalant use is bad, especially when we're reaching out to younger children who are at most risk of abusing inhalants," Charles Curie, administrator for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, said Friday.

According to a 2002 Monitoring the Future Study, 15.2 percent of eighth-graders have used inhalants in their lifetime.

The ad campaign has finished its rotation and will not be reintroduced, Toys "R" Us spokesperson Susan McLaughlin said in a statement.

"Toys "R" Us takes the safety of our guests very seriously," McLaughlin said. "We would never encourage any behavior that would be dangerous in any way."

Inhaling helium has the effect of distorting the human voice. It also can displace oxygen in the blood and lead to unconsciousness and, in rare occasions, death.

Advocates are also concerned about the portrayal of "huffing" helium in other commercials, television shows and movies.

"The ingestion of helium is dangerous," and has resulted in deaths, said Harvey Weiss, executive director of the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition, a federally funded organization.

Weiss said he was inundated with complaints about the Toys "R" Us ad from parents, teachers, school nurses and substance abuse treatment workers, who also complained to the toy company.

"Maybe they heard what we had to say," Weiss said.

[nmh]

It's really not a good idea.

As a kid we got a hold of helium and inhalled it. It lasted for a few seconds and if you spoke you sounded like Mickey Mouse. We only did it a few times but even then it wasn't a good idea.

I'm not sure I'd link it to sniffing glue but considering todays kid, I rather they err on the safe side and use another method to advertize that doesn't include inhaling stuff.

[ServesURight]

Some people have way too much time on their hands.

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

Wait 'til these people find out about what that hapless coyote has been trying to do to the roadrunner. ACME Corporation had better have some serious legal representation.

[4mycountry]

You've gotta be kidding me.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Once, just once, I wish a corporate suit would tell special-interest lobbies to go screw off, like that Nike exec did to Jesse Jackass a few years back.

[Recovering_Democrat]

GET A LIFE.

Inhaling helium is a time-tested way of getting people to laugh their heads off. Of course you shouldn't do it too much--just like you shouldn't eat too much pie. Both are enjoyable, though.

Man, talk about your nervous nellies.

[KillTime]

Give me a flippin break... I guess these idiots better not have kids watch the Discovery Channel programs where deep submerged divers sound the same way. Can't they just let kids grow up to be normal people unlike the idiots themselves who worry about crap like this way too much.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

As a kid my friends and I did lots of stupid stuff that would have gotten us killed, jailed, or maimed now.

[toddst]

Some people have way too much time on their hands.

Boy are you right! If these meddling control-freaks knew what we did as youngsters! Guess we should be thankful we lived to be adults. Geez.

[Chris Tucker]

Not a big fan of Toys R Us. KB Toys or any Walmart you can get a better deal.

[baltodog]

This is serious stuff, folks.
Helium may be funny when inhaled, but lets not forget that it's explosive.

I demonstrated that fact to my kids last week (after inhaling, of course).

[TSgt]

The only other thing I've ever inhaled besides common air and second-hand smoke (I'll get flamed for that one) was helium.

And yes...although dangerous it was quite fun.

[Conservababe]

Yall have to be kidding. Any gas that replaces oxygen in the lungs is potentially dangerous as it can cause suffocation. Even a high build up of CO2 is dangerous, as in emphysema.

ToysrUs was wrong to put on that particular commercial ad.

[SouthernFreebird]

Makes me wanna go buy my kid a balloon. I guess next they'll be telling us how much it costs the tax payer in higher insurance rates.Better make it illegal.

[JoeSixPack1]

..said Harvey Weiss, executive director of the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition, a federally funded organization.

Hey Harvey, You're Fired!! Your're an idiot!! And politically speaking-- Your're the problem!!

[Tree of Liberty]

Helium may be funny when inhaled, but lets not forget that it's explosive.

You sure you're not thinking of hydrogen?

[csvset]

Dang! First it was that evil Joe Camel smoking, now it's Geoffrey the "huffing" Giraffe. When will it end?

[baltodog]

Yeah, you're right. Hydrogen explodes. I thought of that as soon as I pressed "enter".
Now my attempt at humor REALLY sucks....
Sorry.

[Jabba the Nutt]

"The ingestion of helium is dangerous," and has resulted in deaths, said Harvey Weiss...

Walking across the street has resulted in deaths, as has not walking across the street. EVERYTHING IS 'DANGEROUS'.