Poker Chips Contaminated with Lead
Arizona health officials issued a warning that the world's most popular casino chips are contaminated with high levels of lead. Paulson brand poker chips manufactured and distributed by Gaming Partners International Corp. of Las Vegas were tested by a private laboratory and the surface lead exceeded the federal limits for lead by more than 160 times. A separate random group of Paulson chips were tested and exceeded the federal lead limits by 4 times with one of the chips from a Las Vegas casino going completely off the charts with a 45% total lead content.
Gaming Partners International Corp. Chief Executive Gerard Charlier issued a statement saying it objected to any implication its chips could pose a health hazard when used as designed. Lead usually enters the body by inhalation (breathing airborne particles) or ingestion (swallowing). Most forms of lead cannot get through unbroken skin (leaded gasoline is an exception).
Handling lead contaminated items such as poker chips will result in lead particles being on the hands and the lead can then enter the body when eating, touching your nose or mouth or rubbibg your eyes. If you smoke lead is inhaled into the lungs when your fingers come in contact with the burning cigarette. Additionally, people that spend time handling chips know they become rounded and worn down from use and this process of degradation produces particles that can be inhaled or ingested. Lead is especially harmful to children so extra precautions should be exercised if you are around kids after handling any of the contaminated Paulson chips. The health hazards of lead exposure are well documented and readily available from many government and industry sources.