Drinking Straws
Twenty years of CPSC NEISS emergency-room records for this consumer product category, combined with demographic breakdowns, multi-year injury trends, and matching recall notices.
Containers, Tableware & Packaging · CPSC Code 443
Stable over 5 years
The verdict
Drinking Straws carry a danger score of 36/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 3,263 ER-treated injuries a year that are roughly flat over the last five years.
- 36/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 3,263
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 2.8%
- end in hospital admission
- 0-4
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 443 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 36/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for drinking straws - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume3,263 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)2.8%
- Fatality rate0.10%
- 5-year trend+6%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Drinking Straws (CPSC product code 443, in the Containers, Tableware & Packaging category) generate an estimated 3,263 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 65,256 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 36/100 for this category (low risk), combining raw injury volume, demographic reach, severity of outcome, and multi-year trend. The five-year trajectory shows that injury counts are roughly flat over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2024 (5,265 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2005 (1,724 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for drinking straws is contusions, abr. to the eyeball, accounting for approximately 12,545 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by laceration to the mouth (10,915 cases). The 0-4 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 29,470 cases over the NEISS window, and males appear slightly more often than the opposite sex in that cohort. Severity outcomes from the NEISS disposition field show that 2.8% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer, and a small fraction (0.10%) result in fatality.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 8 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how drinking straws fail in real households. Every figure on this page comes from CPSC-published data: NEISS projects national estimates from a probability sample of about 100 U.S. hospital emergency departments, while SaferProducts.gov collects voluntary reports from consumers, manufacturers, and clinicians. The danger score, trend indicators, and demographic breakdowns update automatically when CPSC releases a new yearly NEISS file, which is why this page is dated 2024-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.
Annual Injury Estimates (2005–2024)
Source: CPSC NEISS national estimates CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 16,316 | 13,077 | |
| 5-14 | 11,793 | 8,185 | |
| 15-24 | 1,470 | 2,217 | |
| 25-34 | 2,019 | 2,127 | |
| 35-44 | 1,222 | 1,719 | |
| 45-54 | 1,364 | 713 | |
| 55-64 | 721 | 729 | |
| 65-74 | 297 | 283 | |
| 75+ | 362 | 519 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Eyeball | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Mouth | Laceration | |
| Internal | Ingestion | |
| Mouth | Puncture | |
| Mouth | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Mouth | Other | |
| Face | Foreign Body | |
| Internal | Aspiration | |
| Ear | Contusions, Abr. | |
| All Parts Body | Poisoning | |
| Ear | Internal Injury | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Eyeball | Other | |
| Neck | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Ear | Foreign Body |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
18 MOM WAS RUNNINNG WHILD HOLDING A PLASTIC STRAW, FELL AND IT POKED HIM IN THE LT EYE. HAS REDNESS AND SWELLING TO EYE. DX: CORNEAL ABRASION
55YOM C/O EYE PROBLEM. STATES HE WAS POKED IN THE EYE WITH A PIECE OF STRAW. PHYSICAL EXAM REVEALS CORNEAL ABRASION LEFT EYE. DX: INJURY TO CONJUNCTIVA AND CORNEAL ABRASION WITHOUT FOREIGN BODY
55YOF HX JAW CLICKING/TEETH GRINDING PRESENT TO ED W/ R SIDE JAW PX. YESTERDAY PT WAS DRINKING FROM A STRAW,NOTICED POP IN JAW ON R SIDE.WAS ABLE TO EAT/CHEW DINNER LAST NIGHT.TOOK IBUPROFEN W/O IMPROVEMENT.INABILITY TO FULLY OPEN MOUTH.DX:SUBLUXATION OF JAW ACQUIRED;OSTEOARTHRITIS OF R TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT
14YOM C/O FOREIGN BODY. HE STS HE WAS CHEWING ON STRAW FROM A *** & SWALLOWED A SMALL PIECE OF STRAW. HE FEELS IT IS STUCK IN HIS THROAT. ABLE TO HANDLE SECRETIONS. IS HERE FOR EVALUATION. DX: GLOBUS SENSATION
4YOM PRESENTS WITH LACERATION TO UPPER FRENULUM AFTER CHEWING ON A PLASTIC STRAW WHILE JUMPING ON MOM'S BOUNCING BALL AND THE STRAW HIT UPPER LIP ON INSIDE OF MOUTH DX: LACERATION UPPER FRENULUM
6YOM WAS PLAYING WITH A LONG STRAW IN HIS MOUTH WHICH WAS PUSHED TO BACK OF PT THROAT. NOW HAS LARGE LACERATION TO THE BACK OF THROAT. DX: NONE; PT ELOPED
17MOM WAS AT HOME HAVING BREAKFAST AND HAD A GLASS STRAW IN HIS HAND THAT HE BIT THE END OFF OF, SWALLOWED APPROXIMATELY 3CM PIECE OF GLASS. DX: F.B. INGESTION
11MOM POKED SELF IN RIGHT EYE WITH STRAW. DX: CORNEAL ABRASION.
7YOM- PT PRESENT WITH PAIN TO RIGHT EYE AFTER SIBLING ACCIDENTALLY POKED PT WITH A STRAW TO EYE. DX: ABRASIONS OF SCLERA OF RIGHT EYE.
2 YOF PRESENTS WITH EYE ABRASION S/P ACCIDENTALLY POKED HERSELF IN THE EYE WITH A PLASTIC DRINKING STRAW. DX: EYE ABRASION
3YOM WAS PLAYING W SIBLINGS W STRAWS AND GOT POKED IN EYE DX CORNEAL ABRASION
12YOM WAS DRINKING A SMOOTHIE AND HE WAS USING A LARGE STRAW AND IT PENETRATED THE BACK OF HIS MOUTH WHEN HIS DAD JOKINGLY TAPPED HIM ON THE BACK OF THE HEAD DX SOFT PALATE INJURY
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
Report is for glass hand-blown straws for children sold by a company called "Uncommon Goods". The product numbers are 21904 and 30392 Danger is in the glass straws that have hand blown fish at the bottom to chip and glass chips to be sucked up by a child. Children may have a tendency to tap the glass straw on the bottom of a glass and chip it. Web address for the company is uncommongoods.com The glass straws are on page 58 of the magazine I received around January 2013. I am a nurse and just noticed the product as I was glancing through the magazine so I could toss it out. There has been no incident that I know of and the product may already be off the shelf, but if not, it needs to be pulled immediately. It's only a matter of time before someone gets hurt. Thanks, [REDACTED]
I am writing to report a serious safety issue with a childrens product: the Pura Kiki original straw, manufactured by Pura Stainless. This product is marketed for babies and young children, but after minimal use, the valved tip of the straw detaches or falls apart after being bitten, posing a significant choking hazard. I have personally experienced this issue twice with two separate straws from the same pack. The first time it happened, I believed it might have been accidental or a one-off problem. However, after a second straw tip failed in the same manner, I am convinced this is a product defect that could endanger a childs life. These straws were purchased in late February 2025, so they are still relatively new and well within their expected usable period. I am deeply concerned that this product remains on the market and urge the CPSC to investigate and consider issuing a recall or safety warning to protect other children and families from harm. Please let me know if you require photos, the batch number, or any additional documentation. I am more than willing to assist in your investigation. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
Purchased Stainless Steel Straws with silicone flex tips and a cleaning brush from Kohls Department store on February 14, 2020. Prior to using I rinsed the straws off and let them dry. When I went to use the pink straw for the first time I began to sip the drink and a small piece of silicone shot down my throat. Thankfully I was able to feel this object and immediately stopped sipping and began to cough the small pink piece up. Very scary and grateful it only left me with a scratchy throat. If it happens to a younger child and this object becomes lodged it could easily cut off someones airway. I have since checked the remaining 3 straws and found no similar issues. This is a great straw but the manufacturer must check for remaining silicone parts prior to packaging further products to avoid a possible choking hazard.
I was in the backyard with my son while he was drinking through an aluminum slurpee straw from 7-eleven. We were walking back in the house when he tripped and still had the straw in his mouth. I turned to pick him up and he pulled the straw out of his mouth. He tried to scream but the only noise he made out was more of a gurgling. The straw had went through the rear of the roof of his mouth and there was blood spilling everywhere. He was gasping for air but there was so much blood he couldn't get a breath. I took him to the ER for treatment because I couldn't get the bleeding to stop and I didn't know how much more blood he could lose before it would be fatal. Marketing a potentially fatal product specifically to attract the eyes of children no matter how innocent a straw might seem, is purely negligent and a disregard for consumer safety.
I bought this straw and stainless cup at the starbucks in Norwalk Ca. in the Target shopping center. I used the straw for approx. 3 weeks. I felt pain in my left front tooth and lower left canine (next to) tooth. I discontinued use for approx. 2 weeks. The pain subsided. I went back to using the cup and straw for another approx. Month. Within a week The left front upper tooth cracked as well as the lower tooth described. I immediately stopped using. I went into the starbucks I bought them at and aske about the number for the district manager. And that persons name. I was made to wait for almost 30 minutes and they were not busy at the time. I had to leave. So I am here filling this out. And am going to take starbucks to Small claims court tomorrow . The incident date below is an extreme approximation!!
Starbucks stainless steel straw that was included with my stainless steel drink cup is very sharp. While bringing the straw to my mouth I have both chipped the enamel off my front tooth as well as cut my lip.
The product is a plastic flexible drinking straw. The straw breaks off at the bendable part of the straw. Several straws broke off when children and adults were inserting the straws into drinks. They also break when extending the length of the straw. The break leaves a one inch piece of plastic that could be a choking hazard.
Bought a set of straws from GIR. One of the straws had a piece of silicone still in the shaft of the straw. This chunk of silicon shot into my mouth first time using it. Nearly choked. I handwashed the product before using.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to drinking straws on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are drinking straws?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, drinking straws have a danger score of 36/100 (low risk). An estimated 3,263 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from drinking straws?
The most common injury is contusions, abr. to the eyeball, accounting for approximately 12,545 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from drinking straws increasing or decreasing?
Stable over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for drinking straws injuries?
The 0-4 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 29,470 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by drinking straws?
Of all ER visits involving drinking straws, approximately 2.8% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (97.2%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with drinking straws?
You can file a consumer incident report at SaferProducts.gov, the official CPSC reporting portal. Reports help the CPSC identify emerging hazards and trigger investigations or recalls. You can also call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772.
Related Products in Containers, Tableware & Packaging
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 36/100 score as relative risk between products, not your personal odds of injury.
- See where this category ranks against every other tracked product. Full rankings
- Injuries cluster in the 0-4 age group, take extra care if that describes your household.
- Check for active recalls on this product before you assume it is safe. CPSC recalls
NEISS estimates ER-treated injuries from a national probability sample of hospitals; they do not capture injuries treated elsewhere or not treated at all.
Data: CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 2005–2024 and SaferProducts.gov consumer incident reports. Injury estimates are based on a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments. This page is for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with the CPSC.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, scored, and verified.
