A TOY called “toothpick crossbow,” which recently became popular among primary and middle school students, has raised safety concerns.

Shenzhen’s market supervision authority has banned the sale of the product and called for the public to call 12315 to report businesses that are still selling it.

The size of a person’s palm and shaped like a crossbow, the toy fires items like toothpicks or cotton swabs at up to 144 km per hour, which could easily penetrate plasterboards.

Many parents are worried about the potential harm that the toy might inflict on their children after seeing posts on their WeChat moments, warning people of its power.

“Although my son does not play with the toy, he’s at the age of being curious and playful. If stores around his school put the crossbows on the shelf, it is very likely that he would buy one to play with,” said the father of a 10-year-old. The father also reposted the warning on his WeChat moments.

The city’s market supervision authority conducted inspections of stationers and toy stores near eight elementary schools to make sure they stopped selling the crossbows.

(Lei Kaibin)