LEAD POISONING ALERT

Troops who deploy to Iraq, Kuwait and other southwest Asian countries are being warned to not eat or drink from souvenir tableware.

Maj. Alice Chapman, 374th Medical Group Public Health Flight commander, said ceramic or metal tableware from those nations doesn’t necessarily meet U.S. safety standards for lead and other heavy metals.

The warning wasn’t issued because of any particular problem, Chapman said. But military officials discovered vendors on some bases where troops deploy are selling items that contained lead.