Have Warning Labels Gone Too Far?

Warning labels just keep getting stupider all the time. For instance, the label on one fishing lure says, "Harmful if swallowed." Wouldn't you think people would know that without having to be told?

This report was originally broadcast on 20/20 May 28, 2004

A group called Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch tracks the worst, like the warning on those shades people put on their windshields to keep their cars from getting hot when parked in the sun. The shades have a label that says: "Remove shade from windshield" before driving the car.

Here are a few other winners:

1. Hair Dryer: "Never use while sleeping."

2. Birthday Candles: "Do not use soft wax as ear plugs."

3. Power Drill: "Not intended for use as a dental drill." 4. A CD Holder with wires half an inch apart: "Not to be used as a ladder" 5. Garfield Back Massager: "Do not use while unconscious."

We showed some of the labels to the audience coming out of the Regis and Kelly show to get some reactions.

We asked fishermen about that fishing lure that warns, "Harmful if swallowed." One reaction: "Well that's stupid, 'cause nobody's [going to] swallow this thing except the fish."

Labels For Lawyers

So why do we get these stupid warnings?

Because of lawsuits.

Karen Eppinger's family has been making Dardevle fishing lures in Dearborn, Mich., for nearly a century.

Then in California, some nervous legislators passed a law allowing people to sue companies that don't warn you if there's lead in a product.

The Eppinger fishing lures carry only a trace amount of lead.

I doubt that you could get one of these lures down your throat, but even if you could, you'd have to swallow lots of these to get enough lead to hurt you.

But that didn't matter. Karen's lawyers had her in a panic. "Wal-Mart was being sued, Cabela's and Bass Pro were being threatened with lawsuits," said Karen. "The brass lures going into California did not have a warning label to not eat them."