Back in Time Today
Remember the wild and wonderful 1970s? It was a time of disco fever, shag carpets, and surprisingly dangerous everyday items. Back then, consumer protection laws were much looser, allowing people to purchase products that would make today’s safety inspectors faint. From toxic toys to environmental hazards, here’s a nostalgic look at things from the groovy ’70s that you’d need a time machine to legally own today.
1. Lawn Darts (Jarts)
Heavy metal spikes with plastic fins – what could possibly go wrong? These backyard missiles were responsible for an estimated 6,100 emergency room visits between 1978 and 1988. Kids would toss them high into the air, aiming for plastic rings on the ground.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission banned their sale in 1988 after several children died from head injuries. Some families still have vintage sets hidden in garages, technically making them contraband. Modern versions exist with soft, rounded tips that wouldn’t puncture a balloon, let alone a skull.
2. Leaded Gasoline
That distinctive smell at gas stations wasn’t just petroleum – it was neurotoxins! Leaded gasoline kept engines running smoothly by preventing knock, but at a terrible cost. The lead additive (tetraethyl lead) poisoned generations, causing developmental problems in children and violent crime rates to soar.
The EPA began phasing it out in 1973, with a complete ban for road vehicles by 1996. Vintage car enthusiasts now struggle to find alternatives. Some countries continued selling leaded gas until 2021, when Algeria became the last nation to finally ban it.
3. Asbestos Insulation
The miracle mineral that kept homes warm and fireproof! Asbestos was stuffed into walls, wrapped around pipes, and sprayed onto ceilings. Marketing campaigns praised its fire-resistant properties while hiding a deadly secret – microscopic fibers that cause mesothelioma and lung cancer.
By the late 1970s, the dangers became impossible to ignore. The EPA banned most asbestos products in 1989, though some uses continued. Older homes still contain this hidden hazard. Removal requires specialized equipment and hazmat suits, turning simple renovations into expensive decontamination projects.
4. DDT Pesticide
Nothing killed bugs better than this miracle spray! Farmers doused crops with DDT, cities fogged entire neighborhoods, and kids even chased trucks spraying it. The chemical seemed harmless to humans but decimated bird populations by thinning eggshells.
Rachel Carson’s book “Silent Spring” exposed DDT’s environmental devastation in 1962. The EPA finally banned it in 1972, though not before millions of pounds had contaminated the ecosystem. DDT’s persistence means it’s still found in soil and water decades later. Some countries still use it for malaria control, weighing disease prevention against environmental harm.
5. Exotic Big Cat Pets
Before Tiger King, there was your neighbor with an actual tiger! The 1970s exotic pet trade boomed with few regulations. Wealthy eccentrics, celebrities, and even ordinary families kept lions, tigers, and other wild animals as status symbols or unusual companions.
High-profile attacks and growing animal welfare concerns led to the Endangered Species Act and state-by-state bans. The 2003 Captive Wildlife Safety Act further restricted big cat ownership. Today, keeping these magnificent predators requires special permits in most states. Those grandfathered in often struggle with the enormous cost and danger of maintaining these inappropriate pets.
6. Mercury Thermometers
Remember shaking down those glass thermometers before taking your temperature? The silvery liquid inside wasn’t just any metal – it was mercury, a potent neurotoxin that causes tremors, memory problems, and developmental issues.
Breaking one meant a hazardous cleanup operation, though most families simply swept up the fascinating beads. The EPA and FDA pushed to phase them out in the early 2000s. By 2011, most manufacturers had stopped production entirely.
Modern digital thermometers provide faster, safer readings without the risk of releasing toxic vapors into your home. Old mercury thermometers should be taken to hazardous waste facilities, not thrown in regular trash.
7. Lead-Based Toys
Bright colors, durable finish, and brain damage! Lead paint made toys vibrant and long-lasting while secretly poisoning children who chewed on them. Action figures, building blocks, and dollhouses often contained dangerous levels of lead that damaged developing nervous systems.
The Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act of 1971 began addressing the problem, but comprehensive bans didn’t arrive until much later. The 2008 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act finally established strict limits.
Collectors of vintage toys now face a dilemma – those pristine Star Wars figures in original packaging might contain toxic levels of lead. Many children’s museums have had to remove beloved exhibits after discovering lead contamination.
8. Cars Without Seatbelts
Cruising down the highway with kids bouncing freely in the backseat was perfectly normal in the ’70s. Many vehicles lacked basic safety features, and using what seatbelts existed was entirely optional. Parents thought nothing of infants riding in mom’s lap in the front seat.
New York passed the first mandatory seatbelt law in 1984, with other states following. Public resistance was fierce – many viewed it as government overreach. The famous “Buckle Up” campaigns slowly changed attitudes.
Modern vehicles feature comprehensive restraint systems with multiple airbags, crumple zones, and child safety seats. Driving or riding without a seatbelt is now illegal in most states.
9. Chemistry Sets with Real Chemicals
Junior scientists of the ’70s worked with actual dangerous substances! These educational toys contained chemicals that could explode, burn skin, or release toxic fumes. Some even included small amounts of radioactive materials or compounds that could be combined to make gunpowder.
Gilbert Chemistry Sets and similar products promised to teach real science through hands-on experimentation. Parents worried more about carpet stains than chemical burns.
Modern versions contain diluted, safer substances that produce less dramatic but non-lethal reactions. The truly dangerous components have been regulated under various chemical safety acts. Today’s chemistry sets might disappoint grandparents who remember the spectacular (and hazardous) reactions of their youth.
10. Cigarette Vending Machines
Drop in some coins, pull a knob, and out came a pack of smokes – no ID required! These ubiquitous machines stood in restaurants, bowling alleys, and hotel lobbies, making cigarettes accessible to anyone tall enough to reach the handles.
Kids routinely purchased cigarettes this way, contributing to youth smoking rates. The 1992 Synar Amendment began restricting youth access to tobacco. By the early 2000s, most states had banned cigarette vending machines in locations accessible to minors.
Today, these machines are largely extinct in America, though they survive in adult-only venues in some states. Collectors now restore vintage cigarette machines as nostalgic pieces of Americana, often repurposed to dispense art or trinkets instead.
11. Clackers
Two acrylic balls on a string that made satisfying “clack” sounds when swung correctly. What could be more fun? These simple toys became a playground sensation in the early ’70s despite their tendency to shatter into dangerous shards.
Kids would swing the hard plastic or glass balls up and down, creating a rhythmic clacking noise. The faster you went, the more impressive your skills.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission banned them in 1976 after numerous injuries from exploding balls that sent fragments flying at high speeds. Modern versions exist with softer materials, but the dangerous originals remain collector’s items – technically illegal to sell as children’s toys.
12. Flammable Children’s Pajamas
Cozy, cute, and catastrophically flammable! Children’s sleepwear in the early ’70s was often made from untreated cotton or synthetic fabrics that could ignite instantly from a single spark. These nightclothes contributed to numerous tragic accidents when children ventured too close to heaters or open flames.
The Flammable Fabrics Act of 1953 was strengthened in 1972 to specifically address children’s sleepwear. Manufacturers had to meet strict flammability standards or treat fabrics with flame-retardant chemicals.
Modern children’s pajamas must either be snug-fitting or meet rigorous flame resistance tests. The vintage nightgowns and loose pajamas from the ’70s would be illegal to sell today.
13. High-Powered Firecrackers
Fourth of July celebrations in the ’70s featured explosives that would make modern safety officials faint! M-80s, cherry bombs, and silver salutes packed enough power to remove fingers or cause serious burns. These miniature bombs contained explosive powder equivalent to quarter-sticks of dynamite.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission banned these dangerous fireworks in 1977. Many people lost eyes, fingers, and even lives before the regulations took effect.
Today’s consumer fireworks are significantly weaker than their ’70s counterparts. The powerful versions are classified as “display fireworks” and require special permits. Possession of vintage M-80s is now considered possession of an illegal explosive device in most jurisdictions.
14. Candy Cigarettes
Nothing says “healthy childhood” like pretending to smoke! These chalky sugar sticks came in packages mimicking real cigarette brands, complete with fake filters and red tips that simulated a lit end. Some even released puffs of powdered sugar “smoke” when you blew through them.
Child health advocates fought against these treats for decades, arguing they normalized smoking for impressionable kids. Many studies linked candy cigarettes to future tobacco use.
While not federally banned in the US, most manufacturers voluntarily stopped producing realistic versions. Modern “candy sticks” avoid cigarette imagery altogether. Several countries have completely outlawed these controversial treats that once filled children’s Halloween bags.
15. Cyclamate Artificial Sweeteners
The diet soda revolution had a secret ingredient! Cyclamate sweeteners were 30 times sweeter than sugar with zero calories, making them perfect for weight-conscious consumers of the early ’70s. Tab, Diet Pepsi, and many “sugar-free” products relied on this miracle sweetener.
The FDA banned cyclamates in 1969 after studies suggested they caused cancer in laboratory animals. Manufacturers scrambled to reformulate their products with saccharin.
Interestingly, later research questioned the original findings, and cyclamates remain legal in many countries including Canada and throughout Europe. They’ve never been reapproved in the US, though some food scientists argue the ban was an overreaction to limited evidence.
16. Red Dye No. 2
That vibrant red color in your ’70s candy, drinks, and cosmetics came from a petroleum-derived dye with a dark secret. Red Dye No. 2 (Amaranth) gave maraschino cherries their glow and made red M&Ms pop – until studies linked it to cancer and birth defects.
The FDA banned it in 1976 after Soviet studies suggested it caused malignant tumors. Mars even removed red M&Ms entirely until 1987, when they reformulated with safer alternatives.
Many countries still permit Red Dye No. 2 in foods, considering American restrictions an overreaction. Vintage cosmetics and food items containing this colorant are now collector’s items – technically illegal to sell for consumption in the United States.
17. CFCs in Aerosol Sprays
The satisfying hiss of hairspray in the ’70s came with an invisible cost – destruction of the ozone layer! Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) propelled everything from deodorant to whipped cream, creating that perfect cloud of product without a thought to environmental consequences.
Scientists discovered CFCs were destroying the atmospheric ozone layer that protects Earth from harmful UV radiation. The 1978 ban on CFC aerosols was just the beginning.
The 1987 Montreal Protocol eventually phased out these chemicals globally. Modern spray products use alternative propellants that don’t damage the ozone. This rare example of successful international environmental cooperation has allowed the ozone layer to slowly recover.
18. Three-Wheel ATVs
Nothing said outdoor adventure in the ’70s like a three-wheeled death trap! These notoriously unstable all-terrain vehicles were marketed as fun for the whole family despite their tendency to flip over during turns. The three-wheel design created an inherently unstable platform that became more dangerous at higher speeds.
After hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries, manufacturers agreed to stop production in 1988. The Consumer Product Safety Commission sued to have them recalled as “imminent hazards.”
Modern ATVs feature four wheels for stability and numerous safety features. Vintage three-wheelers remain sought after by collectors, though they can’t be legally sold as new vehicles and many riding areas ban them entirely.