May 22, 2003

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announces the following recall in voluntary cooperation with the firm below. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: Toy Vehicles

Units: 126,000

Manufacturer: International Playthings Inc., of Parsippany, N.J.

Hazard: Small parts on the vehicles can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Incidents/Injuries: International Playthings has received one report of small parts detaching. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The Viking Mini Chubbies are toy wagons, tractors, helicopters, cars, airplanes, and jeeps. The toys measure about 3-inches long and were sold in red, blue and yellow. Model numbers are printed on the bottom of the toy. Models included in the recall are AW01119, AW41111, AW61005 and AW81119.

Sold at: Specialty toy stores nationwide sold these toys from April 2002 through March 2003 for about $1.

Manufactured in: Thailand

Remedy: Consumers should contact the company for information on receiving a refund.

Consumer Contact: International Playthings toll-free at (800) 445-8347 anytime.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announces the following recall in voluntary cooperation with the firm below. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: Toy Drumsticks

Units: 800

Distributor: The Step2 Company, of Streetsboro, Ohio

Hazard: The tip of the drumstick can break off, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Incidents/Injuries: CPSC and Step2 are aware of one incident where a child reportedly began to choke on the top of the drumstick. The child's parent performed the Heimlech maneuver to remove the small part.

Description: The drumsticks were sold with the Step2 Toddle Tunes Big Band Drum set, models 7135B2 and 7135KR. The drum sets are blue and yellow with music decals attached to the front. The word "Step2" is imprinted across the front of the drum set. The yellow and blue drumsticks are about 9-inches long.

Sold at: Toy stores and online retailers sold the drum sets nationwide from February 2002 through April 2003 for about $30.

Manufactured in: Korea

Remedy: Contact Step2 to receive a replacement set of drumsticks.

Consumer Contact: The Step2 Company at (800) 347-8372 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.