By Liz Oakes
Enquirer staff writer

Shara Johnson, 12, of West Chester Township didn't mind spending her pocket change on rings and other jewelry out of vending machines to give to friends and cousins.

Now Shara's dad, Rick, wonders whether the quarters also bought a possible health hazard.

Thursday, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the largest toy recall in its history: 150 million metal necklaces, rings and bracelets made in India and sold in this country in vending machines nationwide since January 2002.

Dangerous levels of lead could leach out of the jewelry, the commission warned.

At least one child in Oregon fell ill with lead poisoning after swallowing a 25-cent necklace pendant that turned out to be 40 percent lead, according to media reports.

His doctors said the boy had a blood lead level more than 12 times above normal. To the millions of parents in America who have allowed their children to buy the trinkets in the past few years, regulators have a message:

"Find it, take it away and throw it away. That is our advice," safety commission spokesman Scott Wolfson said.

Rick Johnson, 49, intends to do just that.

Johnson said he wants Shara to find her latest purchase, a metal ring from a gumball machine, before her 3-year-old sister, Kendra, does.

"She'll be looking for it," Johnson said firmly.

Federal regulators are looking, too.

"We want all this leaded toy jewelry out of vending machines," safety commission spokesman Ken Giles said.

The products' importers have voluntarily recalled all toy metal jewelry from gumball machines across the country.

The problem, however, is huge. Regulators want the jewelry gone by today; the importers say it could take until the end of next month or even longer.

About half of the toys might contain lead, but the difficulties in distinguishing them spurred the voluntary recall of every piece, toy importers said.

About 2 million items remained in vending machines across the country Thursday, according to industry officials.

"The scope of this is enormous," Wolfson said, adding, "There is the potential that (the items) are still out there."

In Greater Cincinnati, some vendors said they had already gotten rid of the toy jewelry.

But a check of several major retail chains Thursday found a number of gumball machines still selling toy metal jewelry.

Dr. Omer Berger, director of the lead treatment clinic at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, said he wasn't aware of any local lead poisoning cases linked to the toys.

But, he said, "I'm sure some of these trinkets may be in the community.

"I've seen them, and I hope they have been properly disposed of. They are poorly made and easy for children to ingest, so I think it is appropriate that these be banned."

Dr. Bruce Lanphear, director of the Environmental Health Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, said studies have associated lead exposure in children with learning disabilities, behavioral problems and even tooth decay.

From age 1 to 3, when children spend a lot of time mouthing objects, is when blood-lead levels tend to peak, Lanphear said.

Parents with a child under age 4 who has played with the toys might want to consider calling their pediatrician, he said.

But "if there's any question (about the jewelry), throw the darn thing out," Lanphear added.

Concerned parents can have their child's blood screened for high lead levels at a doctor's office, or in Hamilton County by contacting one of the county's immunization clinics, said Health District spokeswoman Paula Smith.

Call (513) 946-7822 to find the nearest location.

Consumers can get more information on the toy jewelry recall at (800) 441-4234.

E-mail loakes@enquirer.com. Staff writers Matt Leingang and James McNair contributed.