California--the (ultimate) mommy state

[rwguinn]

For many years, I have wondered about these people-I lived amongst them in the '70's-and thought "The land of fruits and nuts'" was more and more appropriate.
I have grown used to the "Warning: this device contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer" in lab animals warning, (even on consumer electronics!) but this time they have overdone it:
WARNING: All wood, including this wood produces a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm when burning (Emphasis mine)
This is on a box of firewood.

[imjohn]

They're missing the second parenthetical comma.

Bad, mommy state, bad!

[Fnord]

Well? What are those chemicals?

I'm sure that even inert cellulose could be considered a hazard if a ton of it were dropped on someone's head.

[Stankeye]

For many years, I have wondered about these people-I lived amongst them in the '70's-and thought "The land of fruits and nuts'" was more and more appropriate.
I have grown used to the "Warning: this device contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer" in lab animals warning, (even on consumer electronics!) but this time they have overdone it:
(Emphasis mine)
This is on a box of firewood.

Wow people read those things?

[Beerina]

It's a world by the lawyers, of the lawyers, and for the lawyers.


I won't be holding my breath for an outcomes analysis to see if this saves any lives. That's not what it's about.

[paximperium]

Sigh...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycyclic_aromatic_hydrocarbon
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/phs69.html
http://www.epa.gov/burnwise/pdfs/EPA-450-2-89-015.pdf Pg1-13

[rwguinn]

Sigh...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycyclic_aromatic_hydrocarbon
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/phs69.html
http://www.epa.gov/burnwise/pdfs/EPA-450-2-89-015.pdf Pg1-13

\Whooosh....

(or in the words of "Peanut"--NEEYOOOWWW)
WARNING:
The State of Life has been determined by everyone with more than 2 brain cells to be invariably Fatal under all circumstances.

WARNING: The chemicals used in printing these warnings contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer in Laboratory animals.
Warning: The packaging of this item contains wood fibers. All wood, including this wood produces a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm when burning

Warning: the excessive use of WARNING labels is know to cause blindness to warning labels and mental instability in some people...

[rwguinn]

They're missing the second parenthetical comma.

Bad, mommy state, bad!
actually, there is a comma after "this wood" and I missed it. The rest of it, including the missing comma after "defects", is verbatim

[paximperium]

\Whooosh....

(or in the words of "Peanut"--NEEYOOOWWW)
WARNING:
The State of Life has been determined by everyone with more than 2 brain cells to be invariably Fatal under all circumstances.

WARNING: The chemicals used in printing these warnings contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer in Laboratory animals.
Warning: The packaging of this item contains wood fibers. All wood, including this wood produces a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm when burning

Warning: the excessive use of WARNING labels is know to cause blindness to warning labels and mental instability in some people...
California State labeling laws are mandatory concerning ALL potential carcinogens. There are no exceptions.

Is it often taken too far? Yup.
Does firewood contain carcinogens? Most definitely.

[dudalb]

It's a world by the lawyers, of the lawyers, and for the lawyers.


I won't be holding my breath for an outcomes analysis to see if this saves any lives. That's not what it's about.


SO lawyers are another method whereby the evil, whim worshipping, second handers with their Anti Life philosophy are oppressing the John Galts of the world?

[Fnord]

So the warning actually implies some warning to not stand downwind of burning firewood and breath the smoke.

California is becoming a real mother.

[CORed]

So the warning actually implies some warning to not stand downwind of burning firewood and breath the smoke.

California is becoming a real mother.

Just in case the burning sensation in your eyes and uncontrollable coughing isn't enough to allow you to figure it out for yourself.

[Bob Blaylock]

This madness is the result of Proposition 65 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Proposition_65_(1986))—an initiative that was passed in 1986. I refer to it as “The Law that Cried ‘Wolf!’”

I have to think that it was crafted, not out of any genuine desire to promote any valid public interest, but to demonstrate how stupid the electorate can be, and how easily they can be duped into voting for anything that sounds good on the surface.

The general gist of the measure is that it requires the state to maintain a list of chemicals that are “known to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm”; and it requires that wherever any such chemicals are present, there must be a warning. No allowance is made for whether or not the chemical may be present only in amounts too small to be harmful, or in a form that cannot cause harm. If any such chemical is present at all, there must be a warning.

The effect, of course, is that these warnings are present everywhere, and Californians are so used to seeing and ignoring them that wherever a genuine chemical threat might exist, it is rather impossible to effectively warn us of it and expect us to take any such warning any more seriously than all the legions of worthless warnings we've become used to ignoring.

[Praktik]

You know what's "mommy state"?

The state telling you that you can't smoke pot.

Hopefully california voters blaze a trail (in more ways than one) on the upcoming legalization ballot iniative this fall..

[Yoink]

If that sign discourages anyone from burning a wood-log fire, then it's all to the good. Wood fires (in general--I'm obviously not talking about high-efficiency pellet-burners and so forth) contribute enormously to particulate air-pollution, release a lot of greenhouse gases and are incredibly energy inefficient.

So far I'm struggling to understand what the OP's complaint is. California law requires someone to put a completely accurate warning on a non-essential product that consumers would be wise to avoid? Shock, horror!

[commandlinegamer]

I blame it on Quincy:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0681868/

And numerous other episodes.

(OT: I'm still waiting for CSI, NCIS et al to offer Jack Klugman a cameo role. Would be fitting tribute.)

[INRM]

Of course burning wood produces carcinogens, I thought everybody knew that these days. I don't think people should be inhaling smoke everyday, but I don't know what the harm from being at one family barbecue or burning some chimney logs

[Uncayimmy]

But Anyway (http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/But-Anyway-lyrics-Blues-Traveler/197036CA18A9AFE84825689E0035D1E5) by Blues Traveler

I'm quitting cigarette smoking
It's bad for me, but anyway
I don't think the TV was joking
When it told me this, but anyway
The newsman said not to sit on strange toilet seats
It's my life he's trying to save, but anyway
I found out that I've got eye cancer
Too many television waves, but anyway

(partial lyrics, so don't Rule 4 my ass)

[Bob Blaylock]

So far I'm struggling to understand what the OP's complaint is. California law requires someone to put a completely accurate warning on a non-essential product that consumers would be wise to avoid? Shock, horror!


The problem is that this law makes no distinction at all with regard to whether anything is present in an amount or form that creates any actual hazard. If there's any possibility that a chemical may be present that is “known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm”—even if it is in such an amount or form that it poses no threat at all to anyone—a warning must be posted. If you include anything that is in trace amounts, too small to pose any threat, or which are in a form that cannot be readily ingested or absorbed into the body, therefore also posing no threat; then such chemicals are •EVERYWHERE•, and so such warnings must be everywhere as well, and we Californians have become so used to seeing these warnings everywhere that we look, that we don't even notice them anymore. Such warnings are even posted where it is not known that any listed chemicals are present, because those responsible for those areas cannot guarantee that such chemicals aren't present, and must protect themselves from the legal consequences that could ensue if such chemicals were discovered to be there, without a Proposition 65 warning having been posted.

Wherever a genuine chemical hazard might exist, it is nearly impossible to effectively warn us of such a hazard, because we've become so accustomed to ignoring all the worthless warnings that are posted all over the place about nonexistent hazards.

[rwguinn]

If that sign discourages anyone from burning a wood-log fire, then it's all to the good. Wood fires (in general--I'm obviously not talking about high-efficiency pellet-burners and so forth) contribute enormously to particulate air-pollution, release a lot of greenhouse gases and are incredibly energy inefficient.

So far I'm struggling to understand what the OP's complaint is. California law requires someone to put a completely accurate warning on a non-essential product that consumers would be wise to avoid? Shock, horror!
That would be carrying it a little far, perhaps, but understandable--if it was on stuff that can actually CAUSE Harm.
However, these warnings are on EVERYTHING that MAY be sold in California. I bought a servo for my radio controled electric indoor airplane. The servo weighs 5.4 grams, has an electric motor, some plastic gears, and a circuit board in it-- and has the "WARNING: This item contains chemicals known by the State of California to cause cancer in laboratory animals" warning on it. so does the reciever--which weigh 3.6 grams.
What? They think we swallow the damn things? Or burn them and breath the fumes? Model airplane dope and glue are a LOT cheaper... (And they have the warning too...)

[Modified]

For many years, I have wondered about these people-I lived amongst them in the '70's-and thought "The land of fruits and nuts'" was more and more appropriate.
I have grown used to the "Warning: this device contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer" in lab animals warning, (even on consumer electronics!) but this time they have overdone it:
(Emphasis mine)
This is on a box of firewood.

I'm completely astonished.

You can buy firewood in a box?

[CORed]

I'm completely astonished.

You can buy firewood in a box?

Well, I'm worried about the people (if there are any left in California) who cut their own firewood. Shouldn't that warning be placed on every tree and shrub in the state? That ought to reduce the unemployment rate.

[Skeptic]

Wood fires contribute enormously to particulate air-pollution...

...yes, but they're fun.

...release a lot of greenhouse gases...

...but they're fun.

...and are incredibly energy inefficient.

...but they're fun.

Credit for the idea goes to Graham Lee Hemminger:

Tobacco is a dirty weed.

I like it.

It satisfies no normal need.

I like it.

It makes you thin, it makes you lean,
It takes the hair right off your bean
It's the worst darn stuff I've ever seen.

I like it.