Is it safe to drink from my TOMI Drinking Vessel?

[figmentPez]

The description in the store for the Tales of Monkey Island Drinking Vessel says "perfect for all beverages, pirate or otherwise." but on the bottom of my mug is a sticker that says "State of California, Prop 65, This product may contain one or more substances or chemicals known to the state of California to cause birth defects and other reproductive harm."

I'm a guy, so I'm not likely to be pregnant anytime soon, but I am curious why the mug carries the warning label.

[Elvenmonk]

Well to let you know, if you get a USB cable read that little sticker on it. It says the same thing, or that they may cause cancer. (Which is why my friends and I refer to USB cables as cancer cables now)

So I'd go with that it's safe to drink from. That's just a little pre-emptive thing the state of CA has.

[VeronicanPlay]

Found this which I think explains just fine.

Originally Posted by Alcoremortis

Most of those warnings originate from force-feeding rats enormous amounts of those chemicals to see if they're dangerous. So unless you actually eat the cup (I think you'd probably have to eat several cups, actually), I think you'll be fine.

And of course there is the thread about it: http://www.telltalegames.com/forums/...ad.php?t=17252

[figmentPez]

Originally Posted by Elvenmonk

Well to let you know, if you get a USB cable read that little sticker on it. It says the same thing, or that they may cause cancer. (Which is why my friends and I refer to USB cables as cancer cables now)

That's probably because of the solder used in in the cables. Solder commonly contains lead (though there is lead-free solder).

Originally Posted by VeronicanPlay

Found this which I think explains just fine.

And of course there is the thread about it: http://www.telltalegames.com/forums/...ad.php?t=17252

Hmm, I would have found that thread by searching if they called it a Drinking Vessel like the store does. Way to make the thread easy to find.

Anyway, as for "force-feeding rats enormous amounts of those chemicals" I'm pretty sure that's true for some chemicals like artificial sweeteners and such, but heavy metals like lead and cadmium are toxic even in small doses. Not only that, but they're bio-accumulative, which means that once they get into an organism they aren't normally eliminated and continue to build up over time.

That other thread also gets things wrong in assuming that only paint can contain these heavy metals. Pottery glazes (and this mug is glazed over the entire surface) can also contain lead. I don't know if lead-based glazes are commonly used anymore for decorative pieces, but I think it's in Telltale Game's best interests to do some checking. It would not be good to advertise it as a usable mug if it should only be decorative because of a non food-grade glaze on the ceramic.

[FitzoliverJ]

Telltale cannot guarantee that the mug was constructed on a planet devoid of peanuts.

AJB

[bonnie]

Should be fine to drink from the monkey vessels. However, there is a warning label on the bottom that says, “State of California PROP 65 this product may contain one or more substances or chemicals known to the state of California to cause birth defects and other reproductive harm”.

Cheers,
bonnie

[The Brown Dragon]

Originally Posted by bonnie

Should be fine to drink from the monkey vessels. However, there is a warning label on the bottom that says, “State of California PROP 65 this product may contain one or more substances or chemicals known to the state of California to cause birth defects and other reproductive harm”.

Cheers,
bonnie

So...

It SHOULD be fine to drink from, but it MAY contain substances known to cause birth defects.

So, to summarize...

It's okay to drink from the mug. However, if my children are born with a disorder that was directly caused by drinking from the mug, it'll be my own fault because I was warned...

[DrRocketGenius]

Originally Posted by bonnie

Should be fine

Hm... I don't like the sound of that that.

[bonnie]

Whether the mug has the chemicals/metals or not in the paint or materials used to produce the mugs, California needs to have a warning sticker on the product because of prop 65. It's called covering their behind. Mugs did not originate within California so prop 65 states we have to post all potential risks. The Sun will be the next to sticker with prop 65 warning labels...

[DrRocketGenius]

Wait, so do a lot of products in CA have that label?

[bonnie]

Quite a few, yes. Especially, dishware made from similar painted ceramic-ish products that people will consume food/drink on or out of.

[Indrid Cold]

So, could you say that although this risk does exist, it's no bigger than the risk from other painted ceramic stuff, many of which don't have that sticker?

[PedsterUK]

Originally Posted by bonnie

Quite a few, yes. Especially, dishware made from similar painted ceramic-ish products that people will consume food/drink on or out of.

Ironic..... I can understand the MI mug having a warning because it can be seen as a prop/ornament - but to have warnings on actual made-for-food/drink items is a bit odd considering it should be constructed especially for that purpose in the first place

[der_ketzer]

Originally Posted by Indrid Cold

So, could you say that although this risk does exist, it's no bigger than the risk from other painted ceramic stuff, many of which don't have that sticker?

The other items maybe are not "new" enough to have the sticker (I don't know how long these stickers are on items in Calfornia).

[Indrid Cold]

Originally Posted by der_ketzer

The other items maybe are not "new" enough to have the sticker (I don't know how long these stickers are on items in Calfornia).

I'm not talking about California or Telltale or any place or seller particularly. It is a fact (I think) that most ceramic drinking vessels worldwide don't come with such stickers. What I'm asking is whether this one has the sticker because for some reason the risk is greater than it is with other vessels or simply because they're more concerned about covering their backs than other places, and the "risk" is the same for all.

[The Brown Dragon]

Originally Posted by Indrid Cold

I'm not talking about California or Telltale or any place or seller particularly. It is a fact (I think) that most ceramic drinking vessels worldwide don't come with such stickers. What I'm asking is whether this one has the sticker because for some reason the risk is greater than it is with other vessels or simply because they're more concerned about covering their backs than other places, and the "risk" is the same for all.

I'd like to know the answer to this question too.

If somebody from Telltale can say "The risk of drinking from this mug is no greater than the risk of drinking from any other ceramic mug" I'll be happy.

Or even if somebody from Telltale can say "The risk of drinking from this mug is slightly greater than the risk of drinking from a mug without the sticker" I'll at least be more informed and better able to decide whether or not to drink from it.

P.S. I've bought plenty of mugs here in Australia and never seen a sticker like that before so we definitely don't put those stickers on everything over here.

[Macfly77]

Not sure about anywhere else, but like someone posted in another thread, people are more "sue-happy" in California than elsewhere, so it is common for manufacturers of pretty much anything to put disclaimers and other warnings on their products.
For example, at Safeway (where I work), we have to post a warning (Prop 65 as well) by every display of balsamic or red wine vinegar.

[bonnie]

Risk of drinking from this mug is no greater than the risk of drinking from any other ceramic mug.

[Irishmile]

Do it...do it.

[corruptbiggins]

The content of the drinking vessel is probably more likely to harm you than the vessel itself. Depending on the content of course.