- Cape Rolling Out Bloomfield Road Art Trail (8/21/19)1
- Donors Pledge Almost Two Grand To Replace SEMO's Possibly Sentient ‘Gum Tree' (8/16/18)
- SEMO and The Will To (Become A Consultant) – Part 2 (6/14/18)
- SEMO and The Will To Do (You Really Want To See That Legal Notice?) – Part 1 (6/4/18)
- Judge, Jury... Trashman (6/1/18)
- Diary of Cape Girardeau Road Deconstruction (5/11/18)
- Trying To Save A Tree From City “Improvements” (4/30/18)2
Foiled Again By Product Safety Packaging
I was muttering unpleasant words under my breath the other morning about Tylenol.
It's not that I dislike Tylenol. I actually use the pain-reliever on occasion. I was cussing to myself because of the result of the Tylenol poisonings that occurred in and around Chicago in 1982. Seven people died after taking Extra-Strength Tylenol that had been laced with potassium cyanide.
Apparently, the culprit stole packages of Tylenol from various stores in the Chicago area, replaced the contents of some of the capsules with the poison then returned the adulterated pain medication back to the stores where unsuspecting consumers later purchased them.
The case has never been solved, but it has had a long-lasting affect on consumer products packaging.
In an attempt to prevent a tampering incident of that magnitude from happening again, the government initiated reforms on how companies package their products, which resulted in me muttering unpleasant words under my breath the other morning.
I was trying to open a brand-new bottle of fish oil pills that was thoroughly sealed shut for my safety.
First, I had to deal with the cellophane wrapping the cap. It was made of Kevlar and I had to use my Dremel tool with a diamond-tipped bit to remove the thing. Thankfully, the lid wasn't one of those child-proof caps -- this was just fish oil tablets -- so it came right off, but underneath was another layer of Product Safety Defense: a foil seal.
But not just any foil seal, but a seal so tight that nothing -- not a fingernail or a butter knife or a pair of scissors -- could wiggle its way under the edge to allow me to pry it off. Puncturing the seal also was out of the question. I'm pretty sure that it was foil embedded with two layers of Kevlar wrapped in steel.
Out came the Dremel again with its diamond-tipped bit. As quick as an actor in a Shakespeare play could say "Off with their heads!" the top of the bottle was severed, the Kevlar and steel seal still firmly in place, but at least I could access my fish oil pills.
Of course, now I can't screw the cap back on, but that's what Reynolds Wrap is for. I've torn off a piece and fashioned a little silver helmet for my topless bottle.
Finally, product safety packaging I will have no problems opening.
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