Sex Toys Finally Have An Official Safety Standard!

It might be a surprise to most people, but until recently sex toy manufacturers did not have any safety guidelines they were required to adhere to. While there are standards for regular toys and a wide range of products, it might have been taken for granted that standards were there to protect us as consumers.

But, as Screen Shot reports, somehow, no safety guidelines were in place for the multi-billion-dollar industry of sex toys and intimate pleasure products. Until now.

Safety is paramount, especially seeing as the toys are to be used in direct contact with the genitals and other sensitive parts of the body. It is hoped that the new set of international guidelines, which came into effect at the end of September, will help to reduce the risk of potential issues such as allergic reactions or injuries.

Dr Martin Dahlberg, a surgeon at Stockholm South General Hospital, initiated the standard after noticing in 2018 that more people needed operations to remove sex toys lodged in the rectum.

“At our hospital, about 40 per cent of cases of retained foreign objects are due to sex toys,” he said.

“I contacted the consumer protection agency in early 2018 to find out if there was any regulation in the sex toys market, but there was not. Yet, several possible injuries can result from the wrong use of sex toys.”

Some of the standards will include ensuring that anal toys have mechanisms to ensure they cannot be inserted further than intended, and for toys that have removable parts to have a locking mechanism so they cannot come away while in use.

Remote controlled toys must now be able to be turned off by the person experiencing the toy, and there is also guidance on what materials can and can’t be used.

Consumers should look out for ‘ISO 3533’ guideline on the product’s packaging to know which toys on the market meet these standards and which don’t, as manufacturers don't need to comply.