Consumer Confusion Over CPSIA Comes From CPSC Guidance, Not the Media

On October 3, CPSC Chair Inez Tenenbaum wrote an editorial in The Product Safety Forum about CPSC oversight of the resale market. "News outlets," she wrote, "have generated stories aimed at scaring hard-working, well-intentioned families about a new federal law that my agency, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, has been working hard to use to build safer communities."

Today, Handmade Toy Alliance board member Rob Wilson published a response in the same publication. Wilson wrote:

It's not the media causing confusion and panic in the marketplace, as Ms. Tenenbaum asserts in her article. In fact, the fears were caused by the CPSC itself, originating in its recently published guidebook, CPSC Handbook for Resale Stores and Product Resellers...If Chairman Tenenbaum wants coats, toys, books and children's products to remain in thrift stores this Christmas season, she needs to stop being a mouthpiece for the authors of the legislation who claim the law is absolutely perfect. If she wants families to be able to sell their kids' old clothes and toys on the weekends and remain law abiding citizens, she must start being an advocate for a common sense approach to implementing CPSIA.

Read Wilson's full article here.

The problems with the CPSIA will not be solved in the media. What we need is accelerated common-sense rule making by the CPSC and someone in congress with the courage and strength of character to correct this flawed law.