Substance Abuse Prevention Advocates Protest Syringe Pens Sold for Halloween

Parents and drug abuse prevention advocates are protesting the sale of syringe pens being promoted as Halloween novelty items, the Associated Press reports.

The pens are sold at Target stores and several online retailers, according to AP. They are clear plastic tubes filled with brightly colored liquid. They are topped by a plunger, and have measuring lines similar to the ones found on real syringes.

“I think it’s an incredibly bad idea,” said Celeste Clark, Director of the Raymond Coalition for Youth, an organization in New Hampshire that works to reduce substance abuse. “Given today’s epidemic that our state is in, it just seems like a no-brainer that something like that shouldn’t be on the shelves.” She noted the pens could confuse young children, who would not know the difference between a real needle and a toy. The pens are labeled as appropriate for ages 4 and up.

“It’s exposing kids to hypodermic needles when we really should be raising awareness to their danger, especially now when they’re finding them in parks, on walking trails, on biking trails,” Clark said.

A spokeswoman for Target told AP the company plans to leave the pens on store shelves, despite customer complaints.

“I think that it is the most societally outrageous marketing scheme that I’ve seen in a long time,” said Jack Wozmak, New Hampshire’s Senior Director for Substance Misuse and Behavioral Health. “I’m not sure that people will understand that it’s a toy at age 4 and up or whatever the age range is, and I’m not sure they’ll know that the hypodermic needle they find on the playground is not a toy.”

Photo Credit: Target