Or they could get shots for their allergy like millions do each year.

It is pretty lame that the airline industry can't come up with a dozen alternate snacks that won't potentially kill a passenger. What do you bet that if they do, there will be a significant surcharge for them. The twizzler tax.

Ryan...there are very little options for those who have peanut allergies. the shots that others get for allergies, does not work with peanuts. One of the only options a person has is using an epi-pen, and they do not always work

To correct the misinformation by Ryan in Texas, there is no such thing as an allergy shot for peanuts. Duke University has been experimenting with immunotherapy for peanuts, but as of yet, there is none widely available. My 10 yr old son gets allergy shots for plenty of other things, and it would be nice if it were so easy to "fix" his peanut allergy, but it's not. I would never expect an airline, his school or anywhere else to ban peanuts. He has common sense to avoid being touched by anyone eating peanuts, and he has an EpiPen and an inhaler and knows how to use them.

It's clear maxi-pad-millio is selfish and part of vocal and intolerant minority. Allergic? Then don't fly, or take a boat or drive or rent a private plane. And if you have to fly bring an EpiPen and an inhaler--it's not a big deal. Quit inconveniencing so many others.

Peanut Mom- I am also a peanut mom and agree with what you are saying. I have taight my child to stay clear of peanuts or anybody eating peanuts. I don't expect the world to be peanut free that is why I have taught my child that he could die if he ate anything with peanuts. I do have peanut butter in my house because there are three of us that enjoy peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, we just don't eat them when he is home. Trust me my child who is twelve knows to check every label of food to make sure that there is no peanuts or peanut products. We do need to take responsibility for our children as well as for ourself.

So in order to "quit inconveniencing others", you feel that those who have peanut allergies should either - a)have to spend extra time and/or money to travel (a private plane? Really?); or b) risk their lives because of possible exposure to peanuts. As others have said, EpiPens don't always work. As far as taking a boat - that would be even MORE dangerous, since cruise ships serve meals, and the chances are good there are peanuts being used in some of the dishes. At least with a transatlantic flight, if someone has an allergic reaction, they could get them to a hospital within hours - with a cruise ship, it could be days.

To peanut mom...great to see the responsiblility you have instilled in your child regarding his allergy. As you point out, there is no cure / treament to overcome the allergy. But there are treaments to counter act the reaction should he get exposed. As you probably already know, for some folks the reaction is not very bad or different from most other common allergic reactions. But for a small percentage it is lethal. As such I think it's great you have him prepared for the worst case scenario. Awareness and preperation are the correct approach because you can not control all situations. Great job.

There certainly is an oral treatment, but not a shot. You can go into toxic waste areas with the right mask, so it would be pretty easy to block out something simple like peanut fumes.

It's not my fault that you have an allergy.

It is your genetics. But when it is something that only affects a few people in the country, you are the ones being selfish.

(Oh, I'm not falling for the 1% figure, that's only for people who had any reaction to eating a peanut at any time in their lives.)

There are people who are allergic to sunlight, we are not blotting out the sun for them.

There are people who are allergic to milk.

Tree nuts and milk (mothers) were staple parts of the human diet for millions of years. The reason these are on the increase is because we do have treatments and alternatives for them now. That allows them to survive until breeding, which then increases the genetic base for the allergy. It's a vicious cycle that will ultimately harm the genetics of the human race.

Can you imagine a baby surviving an allergy to mother's milk if something major happened and they could no longer get formula?

Maybe it's 100, maybe 10,000 years, but something will happen that will cut off formula or the delivery of food. What then?

If you die because I eat some peanuts on a plane, that is your fault, not mine. You clearly didn't take the proper precautions.

Ok, there may be alternative snacks to peanuts, what about pretzels? Now you have to deal with the people with wheat allergies, gluten allergies, and a host of other allergies. Chips you say? Can you gaurentee that the manufacturer doesn't also manufacture snacks that contain peanuts or peanut products? If they do, you get cross contamination. Just create the "buffer zone" and let the flying public continue to eat as it has for the last 50+ years.

Applause, applause to the peanut moms who've taken responsibility and don't rely on everyone else to convert to them!! Well done!

Why does everyone not agree that it is those with peanut allergies, aka THE MINORITY, that is being selfish in attempting to inflict their will upon THE MAJORITY? Why do some of you think that it is the other way around? Justify changing the behaviors of the many to accommodate the VERY few. And before the hate comments start...I don't want people to die so that I can eat peanuts, however I do feel they THEY need to be responsible for themselves (just as several of the mothers of children with peanut allergies have stated above).

No, people do not have allergic reactions from being in the vicinity of a peanut. The cure for peanut allergy is not to ingest peanut, period. Teach your kids to take charge of their own afflictions and to not afflict others.

There really isn't anything to worry about.....airlines will stop all food service eventually.

However, it is up to our Government to protect those that aren't able to protect themselves. (peanut allergy) So if the government were to make airlines change then that is something in the guidelines of government. However, I feel the same as many here that claim they are being overburdened by the unfortunate necessities of those with allergies. If I bring peanuts on a plane, it is MY choice as to eat it or not next to you or your child with an allergy. Call me whatever name you'd like, but it doesn't matter, because I have just as much right to eat those peanuts as you do to ask me not to. Now I'll probably put them away depending on how you ask me, but don't tell me that I can't eat them.

seems like everyone is talking about kids allergies to peanuts (maybe because adults don't eat what they are allergic too).

Based on my decades of flying, I say ban kids from flying, or better yet, charge them 10 times more. We have become a kid centric society, mostly, they have no real need to fly. Vacations...drive, long vacations, wait till they are in their teens and others don't have to tolerate their lack of consideration (hey, they're kids I get that......keep them home)

If you were highly sensitive to flying, and "freaked out" ever time you got on a plane, it is not the fault of the airlines if or when you freak out mid-flight. You knew your limits and you did not take the correct measures to ensure your-and everyone else on the flights- safety, so if you "freak out" mid-flight, other passengers will probably tackle you, beat you senseless and hold you still until the plane is forced to turn around and then you will be charged with endangering the flight. The same should be done to anyone who has an extreme reaction to peanuts mid-flight. They should be penalized for not being prepared for the emergency they KNEW they were going to have, and for having bothered everyone else on the flight with their peculiarities.

I cannot believe how selfish and ignorant the majority of these comments are. I am a careful mother of two kids with allergies. I ALWAYS call ahead and prepare for my kids; I/we ALWAYS carry Epi-pens and Anti-histamines but it is not always enough! The mere scent of a peanut sends my kids to anaphylactic shock. They practically live in a bubble and it is not their fault. This is a true disability. We can control the foods that go into their bodies but cannot control the scent in cabin of an airplane. Masks don't work and there are no preventative shots for this! So if you feel you have the right to eat peanuts on a plane, think about the careful mother with severely allergic kids who have the right to breathe safe air!!!! Man are you people selfish! Shame on you! .....Karma!!!!!!

My child's grandparents live in another country. Should I tell my child sorry you can't ever meet them because some folks can't give up eating their peanuts for a few hours (!) when then fly? I can't get over the selfishness of people. No one is asking you to abstain from peanuts for ever. It's just a few hours! My daughter has multiple environmental allergies. I mean, she goes into a room with a person who owns cats and it's all over from then on. That's why she is homeschooled. We didn't want to 'inconvenience' her classmates on a daily basis. Her best friend has some of those environmental allergies too plus numerous life threatening food allergies. It's not a matter of not putting a peanut in her mouth for her and thousands of other individuals. It's accidental exposure. The epi pen during a true anaphylactic episode won't cure the person. It buys them (and not always) enough time to try to make it to an ER. There are no allergy shots at this time that help with food allergies. It's not a matter of choice as in 'I don't eat meat' or 'I don't eat pork'. It's a potential difference between life and death. When my daughter's friend went to a 'safe' upscale restaurant to celebrate something her parents special ordered steamed brocoli and plain steak nothing added other than salt pepper and onion powder. We were there. One bite into the steak her throat started to close up. Just a simple drop of butter from a utensil passed over that steak could have contaminated it. Thankfully the mother was able to stop the allergic reaction in it's steps. But it was scary. My household is one of the few where this wonderful little girl feels safe. My daughter and her friend didn't choose to have allergies just to they can inconvenience someone else.

Allergies can crop up at ANY age. So all of you jerks here, listen up because it can still get you. As to those who think it's a fad... keep thinking that until your child/grandchild/niece starts to anaphylact. NIH is running studies on this and they think the switch away from live vaccines may have something to do with it.

Allergies and sensitivities are different. I am sensitive to some things. I have a physical reaction to some things. But I don't anaphylact. The peanut ban isn't about getting a rash or itchy eyes. It's about someone's throat closing up within seconds. Someone's heart stopping within a minute. Is your gullet and greed more important than someone's life? And not permanently but just for a few hours.

OK, lets play this scenario. You are on a highway in your car, and there's a trucker behind you. You are driving carefully at speed limit. The trucker behind you is reaching behind him to get at the beef jerky he has back there. He can't get at his so he is taking his eyes of the road and twisting around because he doesn't want to drive for another two hours without his beef jerky. Can you see it? Meanwhile, the effort and physical dynamics of twisting his body around so he can reach that beef jerky is causing him to depress his accelerator and he starts hurtling towards your little car. Can't you just envision this? You have seen these behemonts on the highway many-a-times, I know you can see it. Meanwhile there you are, tooling along in your Ford Escape (or whatever) when you suddenly wake up. What happened? you survived. Your child in the back died. The impact was too great for your little boys or girls body. You throw yourself over her body screaming in an agony that will never stop when in the background you hear the trucker say 'well, maybe they just oughta get off that there highway, I needed that beef jerky....' sounds ridiculous? You bet. Your child's life for some beef jerky. Well ... I think I just made my point.

I want to add to something Careful Mother said. She termed it scent. It isn't so much the smell of peanuts but the airborne proteins that cause a classic IgE allergic reaction in some individuals. So adding some air fresheners are not going to help.

Ryan from Texas: You are completely wrong. People who are allergic to peanuts are not selfish, there are no allergy shots, no cure. I am deathly allergic - just being around peanuts makes me start to cough, get a rash all over my face, itchy throat, and if exposed long enough, I could stop breathing. On an airplane, the air is being circulated of course, so any peanut in the airplane could make its way to me. I feel bad about this allergy - I want people to be able to eat healthy food and have a nice flight, but I simply wouldn't survive the trip. This makes me feel very guilty, I hate asking people to put away their peanut snack because I know I wouldn't want to put it away, but its for my safety. 3 million + in the US have this allergy, and it is growing.

What I don't understand is why people aren't questioning why a scientific research program wasn't conducted since 2000, when it was decided it was necessary to prove the need to ban peanuts on planes?? It's been 10 years! We need to get that research done and ban peanuts - there are plenty of other healthy things to eat, and its common decency. The poor "silent majority" bullcrap is not okay. In this country we believe in the rights of the minority, that's what we're founded upon. This isn't a choice, its not a woe-is-me, bow to my every will kind of thing - it is a serious condition that has no cure. Please ban peanuts on planes.

A epi-pen is only good for 15 minutes. Hard to land a plane and get a ride to the hospital in 15 minutes

Careful Mother-what else can we do for you besides stop eating peanuts? Because we are here on this planet to make your life as easy as possible. *sarcasm. And check into the definition of Karma, because what your asking is creating just as much negative karma for yourself. Fact is, if you knowlingly bring your kids into a situation that is that detrimental to their health, you should be arrested for endangering a minor.

From what I understand wheat / gluten and other similar allergies are not deadly. An acquaintance of mine has a five year old daughter that could die if she even touches a surface that has been exposed to peanuts. This is a common presentation of a peanut allergy. I think it's important to note in the case of peanuts that "controlling what you put into your body" is sometimes out of your control when the allergens are airborne or can be absorbed by the skin, causing death.

All I can say is that I assume they take the necessary precautions amd don't expect peanuts to be banned from America. Everyone needs to take on the responsibilities that goes along with living in a society. That means take care of yourself, don't put yourself if harms way, don't expect everyone to stop what they are doing just for you and most important be respectful to others. If someone is that sensitive to peanut allergens even though I feel for them I'm not sure what can be done when they are out in public at the movies, at a park or even riding in a car that would not infringe on others general rights. Of course if I knew I would never have peanuts present out of respect but you don't know what you don't know.

Sam any food can cause an anaphylactic reaction. I know someone with life threatening allergies to celery. Don't assume that peanuts are the only culprit.

I'm allergic to scents, but when anyone dares suggest people stop wearing a half a bottle of stinky perfume everyone attacks them. And yes, some people with severe allergies have gone into anaphylactic shock when exposed to perfumes/colognes.

Sam, sorry to hear about your daughter's allergy but you (and her) will need to accept personal responsibility and take extra precautions. Not to sound callous, but it's not my problem.

Enma3, agree 100%

If they do that for peanut allergies are they going to do it for people that have allergies to wheat or gluten?

Apples and oranges, notsomuch. People that have problems with wheat and gluten only have reactions if they actually EAT the substance - and most of the time, the reactions are not life-threatening. People with peanut allergies can have a reaction to a few grains of peanut dust - and their reactions ARE life-threatening.

Ban peanuts on flights, and I will eat a whole can on the way to the airport, then dump the crumbs in the can on my lap, brush off most of the crumbs, and board my flight. Hey, why should the traveling public have to do without something so that one person can be comfortable.

With the "ban the peanut" logic, what's next? I don't like a certain religion, so I can get that religion to shut down the nearest church? I don't like that newspaper, so I can get them to stop delivering it to my neighborhood?

When does the majority begin taking a stand and telling the minority they are just that, and THEY are the ones that have to adjust?

I know of a child who died simply from being in the same room that peanuts were in. I don't know if it was inhalation of particles, or touching a surface that had peanuts on it, etc., but she didn't die peacefully.

Ryan in Texas, "If you die because I eat some peanuts on a plane, that is your fault, not mine. You clearly didn't take the proper precautions."

Really? How very stupid of you! How very arrogant of you!

You are convinced of a scientific fact that is a fallacy. Because of that, you think that anyone can partake of this fallacious treatment and be freed of a deadly immune system reaction.

Further, you think it's the victim's problem and only the victim's problem. You also think that it's the victim and only the victim who should be responsible here.

Here's a real fact for you, and one that ought to scare that loony-tunes idiocy out of your head forever. A few years back, a man in Nova Scotia tried to kill his wife and thought that he could get away with it. He new that she was extremely allergic to peanuts, and while she slept, he smeared her face with peanut butter. Fortunately for her, she was neurologically sufficiently awake to note the tingling, call 911, and wash her face and hands as thoroughly as she could. He was tried and convicted of spousal abuse and attempted murder.

You want to be able to do the same, and you, too, think that you would get away with it. That makes you not only the equivalent of that less-than- gentleman, it also makes you the3 equivalent of a person who knows that they are HIV-positive and deliberately goes about having unprotected sex in order to infect as people as is possible.

Why do you not think that your arrogance in this is less than criminal?

Phil, you are not doing without peanuts so that one person can be comfortable, you're going without them so that a person doesn't die. People with peanut allergies are very aware of them. They do their best to be prepared and to avoid peanuts. But they can't avoid flying, so I don't think it's unreasonable for an airline to say "Can you abstain from eating peanut products for a few hours so that a person's life is not endangered needlessly?" What's more important, your right to eat a particular food, or a human life? Would you really be willing to kill someone so you can have a certain snack? Geez... Are people really that selfish now?

Of the 1% of the population w/ peanut allergies, only a fraction of them are so allergic that it is life threatening. Most people w/ a peanut allergy aren't going to die if they smell a peanut or a PBJ. Why does 99.99% of the population have to accommodate 0.01% or less. And I will reiterate what has been said before, it is not the only allergy that is life threatening (pet allergies are one example). How do these people function in normal day to day activities; grocery shopping, going to the mall, playing on a pay ground, restaurants, movie theaters, etc? They carry an epipen. Sorry but peanuts are the only snack served on airplanes my daughter can eat. So for flights that serve foods she's allergic to I bring her snack.

Really people!

If you have an allergy- IT IS YOU that must prepare. Stop coming into my life to tell me what I cannot do- the goverment does this too much- now I have less than 1% of the population whining about this.

Thank you- I will have my peanuts, you just bring along your little bubble to live in while flying and we will be just fine.

If I develop or my family develops a peanut allergy- we will prepare as best for the consequenses of accidental contact.

Until then no PC crap replies or telling me how cruel I am... Otherwise empty your bank accounts to me as I am allergic without at least having $10 million sitting around.

I have a friend who is allergic to potatoes. Guess we better ban that too! No french fries, potato chips or anything with potato oil in it.

Potato oil???

If you were highly sensitive to flying, and "freaked out" ever time you got on a plane, it is not the fault of the airlines if or when you freak out mid-flight. You knew your limits and you did not take the correct measures to ensure your-and everyone else on the flights- safety, so if you "freak out" mid-flight, other passengers will probably tackle you, beat you senseless and hold you still until the plane is forced to turn around and then you will be charged with endangering the flight. The same should be done to anyone who has an extreme reaction to peanuts mid-flight. They should be penalized for not being prepared for the emergency they KNEW they were going to have, and for having bothered everyone else on the flight with their peculiarities.

My child's grandparents live in another country. Should I tell my child sorry you can't ever meet them because some folks can't give up eating their peanuts for a few hours (!) when then fly? I can't get over the selfishness of people. No one is asking you to abstain from peanuts for ever. It's just a few hours! My daughter has multiple environmental allergies. I mean, she goes into a room with a person who owns cats and it's all over from then on. That's why she is homeschooled. We didn't want to 'inconvenience' her classmates on a daily basis. Her best friend has some of those environmental allergies too plus numerous life threatening food allergies. It's not a matter of not putting a peanut in her mouth for her and thousands of other individuals. It's accidental exposure. The epi pen during a true anaphylactic episode won't cure the person. It buys them (and not always) enough time to try to make it to an ER. There are no allergy shots at this time that help with food allergies. It's not a matter of choice as in 'I don't eat meat' or 'I don't eat pork'. It's a potential difference between life and death. When my daughter's friend went to a 'safe' upscale restaurant to celebrate something her parents special ordered steamed brocoli and plain steak nothing added other than salt pepper and onion powder. We were there. One bite into the steak her throat started to close up. Just a simple drop of butter from a utensil passed over that steak could have contaminated it. Thankfully the mother was able to stop the allergic reaction in it's steps. But it was scary. My household is one of the few where this wonderful little girl feels safe. My daughter and her friend didn't choose to have allergies just to they can inconvenience someone else.

Allergies can crop up at ANY age. So all of you jerks here, listen up because it can still get you. As to those who think it's a fad... keep thinking that until your child/grandchild/niece starts to anaphylact. NIH is running studies on this and they think the switch away from live vaccines may have something to do with it.

Allergies and sensitivities are different. I am sensitive to some things. I have a physical reaction to some things. But I don't anaphylact. The peanut ban isn't about getting a rash or itchy eyes. It's about someone's throat closing up within seconds. Someone's heart stopping within a minute. Is your gullet and greed more important than someone's life? And not permanently but just for a few hours.

OK, lets play this scenario. You are on a highway in your car, and there's a trucker behind you. You are driving carefully at speed limit. The trucker behind you is reaching behind him to get at the beef jerky he has back there. He can't get at his so he is taking his eyes of the road and twisting around because he doesn't want to drive for another two hours without his beef jerky. Can you see it? Meanwhile, the effort and physical dynamics of twisting his body around so he can reach that beef jerky is causing him to depress his accelerator and he starts hurtling towards your little car. Can't you just envision this? You have seen these behemonts on the highway many-a-times, I know you can see it. Meanwhile there you are, tooling along in your Ford Escape (or whatever) when you suddenly wake up. What happened? you survived. Your child in the back died. The impact was too great for your little boys or girls body. You throw yourself over her body screaming in an agony that will never stop when in the background you hear the trucker say 'well, maybe they just oughta get off that there highway, I needed that beef jerky....' sounds ridiculous? You bet. Your child's life for some beef jerky. Well ... I think I just made my point.

I can see the point of the parents who have children with peanut allergies. Parents want to do the best for their kids. When I was a kid, my parents had 5 of us, and my dad was going through some health issues which meant we were living on very little. My parents couldn't afford to send us to school with meat in our sandwiches, so guess what we got? Peanut butter. It's a cheap alternative to meat.

Nowadays, I guess I would have gone without any kind of protein at all, since peanuts are banned in schools. This is what gets to people. Some of us actually depend on inexpensive sources of protein like peanuts. To be denied it makes it very difficult for parents like mine to keep their children healthy. Should the 5 of us have gone without, so that the risk to one child was less? And I'm sure we weren't the only children in school whose parents were stretching their budget with peanut butter.

My daughter has multiple environmental allergies. I mean, she goes into a room with a person who owns cats and it's all over from then on.

So, should I be banned from flying on an airplane because I own a cat? After all, perhaps I hug and love my cat before I leave. There would be cat fur and dander all over my clothing and in my hair. Sorry, hedwig, you don't make a good point!

Can anyone tell me why it seems there are so many allergies now? 40 years ago was there even such a thing as a peanut allergy? What exactly have we screwed up this time? My guess is that plastic and something in sweetened cereals is the culprit. I'd love to be enlightened or directed to info on the origins/causes of these allergies. Thanks. gccjmb@roadrunner.com.

LS. reading comprehension is a skill that can and should be acquired. Especially when you open your mouth in public. Where did I say that anyone should be banned from flying because they own a cat? I merely made a statement that she is very allergic to animals to highlight the difference between people like her and people like her friend whose allergies aren't just life-altereing but potentially life-taking. There are people with allergies like my daughters. They are extremely problematic and life altering but I never once made a statement that people should be required to change what they do to accommodate those individuals. For goodness sakes, I homeschool her so we don't inconvenience her classmates and she can live with less medication. And she gets shots to help her with her allergies. But there are no allergy shots for food, which means people like he friend have to live with that scourge all their lives.

There are people with allergies like my daughter's friend who anaphylact. It isn't a case of don't eat a peanut for many of them. It can be as simple as accidental exposure and increasingly it turns out to be airborne proteins that can cause a serious reaction as in death.

Allergies are on the rise. Theories as to why abound but no one knows for sure. Have you ever noticed how many allergy meds are on the shelves now? And it's not just the sniffles and sneezes variety that has increased but the one we are talking about here. Peanuts and allergies to treenuts. How many people do you personally know who anaphylact to those food items? I know 5.

People who can't give up a particular snack on a flight that lasts a few hours are selfish and selfcentered. (Again LS, nobody here talked about your cat). It's a snack ! Not say, insulin or nitro pills. Just easily exchanged and replaced food. I never knew anyone growing up with true allergies. Now I know 8, and five of those eight have nut allergies.

I have to agree with you. When I moved across the country a few years ago, I took my cat on an airplane ride (she had a happy-sleepy pill and did very well under the seat in front of me the whole way). If I couldn't have done that, I would have really had a difficult move. I like driving, but not through the Rocky Mountains in a loaded 2WD car in the winter.

So basically icstars-1 you potentially caused an allergic reaction to someone like economykiller for your own personal gain (e.g., saving money by not putting your cat on an animal-only carrier, and not taking a different, longer route to avoid the Rocky Mountains). Talk about selfish! If you can't afford a pet you shouldn't get one.

Pat,

What is so selfish about what icstars-1 actions? Only certain airlines allow small animals inside the cabin, thus this does give options to people with pet allergies. And who is to say that they cannot afford a pet because they took the convenient route, like most of us would have.

I have often wondered about the pet policy on planes, as any people have reactions to cats. ( Happily I have no known allergies ). Why are they allowed to bring pets inside the cabin ? I also feel that lot of people use the term allergy when in fact they just do not like something, obviously there are many people with serious allergies, but I also feel that many people make up their own "allergies" when it is convenient for them.

People often mistake irritants for allergies. Smoke, pet dander, pet hair, etc. can act as irritants, making a person stuffy and/or sneeze. Allergens are different in the fact that they can cause much more severe symptoms.

I also feel that lot of people use the term allergy when in fact they just do not like something, obviously there are many people with serious allergies, but I also feel that many people make up their own "allergies" when it is convenient for them.

I agree MM. I read about a lady who kept petitioning a city to remove a very old nut tree that was partially in her yard. The city refused due to the age of the tree. The lady complained of squirrels and the fact she had to move the nuts in order to mow. She had a grandkid and "magically" the child had allergies which required the tree to be removed. The city still refused. They did chop the branch that hung over her yard and billed her!

I don't discount the fact that people have allergies and I'm sorry they do. But the number of those that have the severe airborne allergies is actually quite small. Millions of people fly each day and the number of incidents is what? It's time for personal responsibility! See the peanut mom's post up above! Again, well done peanut mom!

I agree, I too have asthma and I take care of myself -- Including using a lot of albuterol when around people drenched in perfumes/colognes.

I believe there is a study going on that pretty much is finding that being exposed to minute peanut dust that could possibly be in the air is not dangerous and to think otherwise is a myth. People eat peanuts in places other than airlines, so if this was so dangerous you literally could not go out in public.

If asked nicely not to eat peanuts or other things I would not eat them. I would never want to injury a fellow passenger. I think most people are the same.

But they should be getting allergy shots. Of course they wouldn't have a reaction from just being around peanuts if they were getting shots.

So it does seem like they want everyone else to accomodate them, instead of being proactive.

How cold and self-centered you are. This isn't about principle...it's potentially about life and death.

Ryan, there are NO ALLERGY SHOTS for nut allergies...

Right on carmelina!

Carmelina -- there's a lot of truth in what you say.

I don't see how a plane could be guaranteed "peanut free" anyway. Even if it were declared in advance, a little kid could have had peanut butter in a seat, and it never been seen by the cleaning crew.

While I do have sympathy for people with allergies, I suffer a few myself (fortunately mild), it's like any other condition. While REASONABLE measures can be taken it's ultimately the person suffering the allergies (or with the condition) to take care of themselves.

A REASONABLE measure, for example, on a plane, would be to create a small area where it has been extra cleaned and no peanuts are served. An UNREASONABLE measure would be to totally ban peanuts on the flight. A REASONABLE person who suffers contact allergies under such circumstances, should wear long sleeves and pants to minimize the possibility of exposure.

If you want to fly, go out, or whatever.....YOU have to plan ahead for the worst, not expect everyone else to accomadate you!!! And I'll tell you what....if I'm flying and I want peanuts on that flight, dammit, I'll have peanuts on that flight! And if you don't like it, TOO BAD!!!!

Tell you what carmelina:

If you have one of your asthma attacks during the flight, and for some reason your meds aren't working and you need immediate medical attention, I think I'll just continue on to our destination. Everybody else on the airplane should not have to accomodate your medical situation. We don't want to have to divert. If you don't like it, TOO BAD!!

Sound good??

There is an oral treatment, not shots. You also can wear a mask. I have a friend who cleans the inside of Petro Refinery containers and chambers. They wear a mask, and don't get sick. Trust me, there are worse things in those refineries, than any peanut fumes.

There is an oral treatment, not shots. You also can wear a mask.

You can also eat pretzels. And eating pretzels won't kill you.

The oral treatment is experimental and not yet available to the general public.

Carmelina, that's what I'm talking about girlfriend. It's funny how back in the 60's you hardly ever heard of peanut allergies. I don't recall ANY of my classmates having allergies. Now EVERY kid has some kind of allergy. Why? Everybody's got to follow the latest fad!

It's funny how back in the 60's you hardly ever heard of peanut allergies. I don't recall ANY of my classmates having allergies. Now EVERY kid has some kind of allergy. Why? Everybody's got to follow the latest fad!

If your 18 month old was in the back of your car vomiting and barely able to breath, you would not think it was a "fad."

They test for this just like they test for any other allergy that has been around for decades. There has been a huge increase in the number of kids with nut allergies over the last 10-15 years and nobody knows why. I don't have it, my wife doesn't have it, nobody in either of our families has it, our other child doesn't have it, but our second child does..... Since our child, 2 other children of people we know have been diagnosed with it. Something is obviously causing the increase.

You are outright ignorant. Perhaps you should know what you are talking about before you open your trap.

Carmelina, why is it so hard to give up peanuts for a few hours? Is it insecurity, too much to give away, to hard to accommodate? Or from your story we can deduce that you have expert knowledge on this topic, and whatever other information is presented doesn't compare with your struggles?

A swan. Why should Carmelita have to give up peanuts? Maybe if your kid is allergic, you should make sure they don't fly? Why are you better than her.?

It is not about being better. It is about minimizing the exposure during the confined time in an airplane. In a bus, you can open windows, and other places you can get away from the peanuts. In a plane - you can't.

If it came to it, then we wouldn't fly. But why not, if our society can be without peanuts for a few hours?

Peanuts is a unique allergy. Having it in the air, or touch a small amount, very small, causes very severe reactions. This is unlike other allergies. Other allergies, yes, can be anaphalysis too, usually not in the way of peanuts. The medical treatment is severe, and this can all be prevented, unlike a random heart attack or other physical problem.

Why not give up peanuts for a few hours on a flight? Is it really too much to ask for in comparison to minimizing the risk to others?

A good point was made....there's been a HUGE increase in nut allergies. Hmmmmmm, I have to wonder what is causing this?? But I also have to wonder about the severity of it. Just because some is allergic to nuts does not mean that the sight of them is going to cause the allergy. Or the dust. It's very rare for it to airborne! I have several friends with kids who have allergies to nuts. But not one of them expect me to change my life or refuse to let their kids come to my house because of it. They know that I'll avoid giving peanut butter to the ones with allergies, but may give one my child. And it's always been ok!!

But I also have to wonder about the severity of it. Just because some is allergic to nuts does not mean that the sight of them is going to cause the allergy. Or the dust.

That is the problem. The sensitivity, according to our kid's allergist, varies. Our son would not be bothered (right now) by the dust. A friend of our's child would be. At some point in the future, our child might be affected by the dust. It can get worse.

Also, our child is only allergic to peanuts, not tree nuts. For now. He can "cross-over" as they say and start to be effected by all tree nuts as well. Unless we get a test every month, we won't know if it has happened. That is why we need to keep them all away from our kid.

They don't seem to know a whole-lot about this situation. Rest assured, however, it is getting worse. Like others said, back when I was in school, I did not know of anyone with this allergy. Now we know 4 other families with it. And they are people we already knew, not met through the allergy.

Ultimately the issue is whether third parties should be required to change their behavior to accommodate the minority, rather than that same minority be required to take ALL preventive measures to be responsible for themselves. My opinion is that if the allergic party has done all they can on their end (taken the oral preventative, facemasks, etc) and it is still truly not enough I'd be happy to briefly alter my habits to prevent their death. However, if they are not taking advantage of all preventative measures available to them, why should I?

My child's grandparents live in another country. Should I tell my child sorry you can't ever meet them because some folks can't give up eating their peanuts for a few hours (!) when then fly? I can't get over the selfishness of people. No one is asking you to abstain from peanuts for ever. It's just a few hours! My daughter has multiple environmental allergies. I mean, she goes into a room with a person who owns cats and it's all over from then on. That's why she is homeschooled. We didn't want to 'inconvenience' her classmates on a daily basis. Her best friend has some of those environmental allergies too plus numerous life threatening food allergies. It's not a matter of not putting a peanut in her mouth for her and thousands of other individuals. It's accidental exposure. The epi pen during a true anaphylactic episode won't cure the person. It buys them (and not always) enough time to try to make it to an ER. There are no allergy shots at this time that help with food allergies. It's not a matter of choice as in 'I don't eat meat' or 'I don't eat pork'. It's a potential difference between life and death. When my daughter's friend went to a 'safe' upscale restaurant to celebrate something her parents special ordered steamed brocoli and plain steak nothing added other than salt pepper and onion powder. We were there. One bite into the steak her throat started to close up. Just a simple drop of butter from a utensil passed over that steak could have contaminated it. Thankfully the mother was able to stop the allergic reaction in it's steps. But it was scary. My household is one of the few where this wonderful little girl feels safe. My daugher and her friend didn't choose to have allergies just to they can inconvenience someone else.

Allergies can crop up at ANY age. So all of you jerks here, listen up because it can still get you. As to those who think it's a fad... keep thinking that until your child/grandchild/niece starts to anaphylact. NIH is running studies on this and they think the switch away from live vaccines may have something to do with it.

Allergies and sensitivities are different. I am sensitive to some things. I have a physical reaction to some things. But I don't anaphylact. The peanut ban isn't about getting a rash or itchy eyes. It's about someone's throat closing up within seconds. Someone's heart stopping within a minute. Is your gullet and greed more important than someone's life? And not permanently but just for a few hours.

OK, lets play this scenario. You are on a highway in your car, and there's a trucker behind you. You are driving carefully at speed limit. The trucker behind you is reaching behind him to get at the beef jerky he has back there. He can't get at his so he is taking his eyes of the road and twisting around because he doesn't want to drive for another two hours without his beef jerky. Can you see it? Meanwhile, the effort and physical dynamics of twisting his body around so he can reach that beef jerky is causing him to depress his accelerator and he starts hurtling towards your little car. Can't you just envision this? You have seen these behemonts on the highway many-a-times, I know you can see it. Meanwhile there you are, tooling along in your Ford Escape (or whatever) when you suddenly wake up. What happened? you survived. Your child in the back died. The impact was too great for your little boys or girls body. You throw yourself over her body screaming in an agony that will never stop when in the background you hear the trucker say 'well, maybe they just oughta get off that there highway, I needed that beef jerky....' sounds ridiculous? You bet. Your child's life for some beef jerky. Well ... I think I just made my point.

Carmelina

My sympathies go out to you that you are so selfish that you would risk a life over a damm bag of peanuts. Although you state you have severe allergies, and know how if feels to not breathe, to wheeze, feel you chest tighen as you reach for your inhaler, you have no regard for the person whose next step might be death. I am a registered nurse, obviously you have never seen a child or adult die before your eyes from anaphylaxis or respiratory failure. I have and I can tell you, its not a pretty way to die. I hope with all your allegies you never have to find out. Next time you demand your damm peanuts, think about if you had this allergy too or even your own and your Epi-pen didnt work and you couldnt get to the tracheostomy you needed to survive. What if I said...damm I dont care about her..keep flying!

Hedwig, since your daughter has "multiple environmental allergies" are there other things you would like to ban if peanuts were to set the precedent that these bans are acceptable? What would those other things be?

For a 'lawyer in training' you need to brush up on your reading and comprehension skills. I never said anything needed to be banned to potentially save the lives of someone with environmental allergies. I used her as an example to highlight the difference between someone like her who can get quite sick and somone like her friend you can die within a matter of mere minutes from something as simple as an ordinary peanut. I even clearly stated Mr or Ms. Lawyer in training that I chose to homeschool her rather than have her classmates and school inconvenienced. Please Mr. or Ms. Lawyer in Training I do want to know.... where did I say I want things banned????? Hmmmmm????? Anxiously awaiting your response..... with baited breath.

As I recall the article was about a ban, and your comments appeared to me to place you on that side. My apologies for putting words into your mouth. To be clear, Hedwig is against banning peanuts on airplanes.

LawyerinTraining-obviously need more training. Although it appears that you have completed your training as an insensitive smart-alec.

"Not liking" a particular food is vastly different from suffering a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction to it.

Good comment. It's funny how vegans will not eat meat, but they wear leather shoes....... lol

True vegans do not wear leather shoes -- there are brands that are made of natural fibers and advertised as vegan. I am not vegan, but my son is, and I had to hunt hard for vegan friendly winter boots.

CLAIRE-500832, vegan applies not just to dietary choices but to life style as well. Vegans do NOT wear leather, silk, suede or wool clothing, and also do not wear jewelly that includes pearls and/or coral.

Sal gal, next time check with a local vegetarian association. They should be able to give you information about sourcing vegan footwear.

And remember that there is at least one clothing designer (Stella McCartney) who does not use animal products in any of her designs.

Why no silk and wool? I thought it just applied to the killing of animals?

It's not just about killing, it's also about the exploitation of animals. Vegans don't use honey either. I found this out when I took a vegetarian cooking class that was taught by a vegan.

But if the allergy specialist found everyone was not allergic to something how would they pay for their luxury homes and cars. It amazes me the more medical specialist we have the more illnesses we have I wonder if there is a link. One of the primary treatments for allergies is exposure in low dosage form until the individual gains a tolerance. The more germ free society becomes to more susceptible people become to diseases.

Here, here Boomer. With you completely!!!

Seems we are constantly enabling these things to happen. Germ free society.... One day, some little parasite is going to rise up and whack us at the rate we are going.

But if the allergy specialist found everyone was not allergic to something how would they pay for their luxury homes and cars. It amazes me the more medical specialist we have the more illnesses we have I wonder if there is a link.

Well this is a capitalist country and doctors are capitalists. You call them greedy but most call them enterprising by diagnosing everyone as having allergies. If they weren't greedy, and this wasn't a capitalist nation those doctors would be doctors in a socialized medicine system. Which would you prefer? Free enterprise medicine where doctors mis-diagnose because they are greedy and want to make a lot of money from their patients, or doctors in a socialized medicine system who make honest diagnosis?

When my wife was pregnant, we wondered if she should eat things that people can be allergic to. The idea was that she might miscarry.

But if you are not exposed, you are more likely to have an allergy.

On a larger scale, people have always eaten the things that we are now seeing increased allergies to.

Believe it or not, there are people who are allergic to mother's milk. 80 Years ago, they would have just died as an infant.

But now there is formula, so they can live long enough to spread the allergy into the gene pool.

Same thing with tree nuts. They were the food that helped people survive for millions of years.

It makes you wonder about devolution.

It's a big deal because people can have reactions just from being near peanuts, not even eating it. On an airplane the air is being circulated, so any peanut on the plane could affect a person with the allergy. It's not just a situation people handle for themselves (I mean, it is, of course, on a daily basis) but on a plane, with only so much supply of oxygen and space, is a different matter. The government should get into this because it is not okay to risk people's lives for no reason, just for a snack, that could be replaced by something else just as healthy, but not as threatening.

Would it be just as reasonable to request a dairy free buffer?

You answered your own question when you said "CONTACT with dairy on his skin will trigger a reaction". It's fairly easy for your son to avoid coming into physical contact with dairy products. With a peanut allergy, you don't need to come into direct contact with peanuts - just inhaling peanut dust will do it. So you're talking about two vastly different situations.

Vicki... Why should YOUR problem become ours??

Vicki-427762 & all the rest of the peanut mothers; do you have ANY idea how much 'peanut dust' (not to mention other crap we probably don't want to know about) is ground into the seats & carpets of every plane in the sky?? Do you really think the plane is steamcleaned or something in the 20 minutes it's at the gate before the next flight boards? Sometime you ought to stay on board during a direct flight & see what 'cleaning' a plane between flights really means. You can wipe down the tray tables & arm rests to your heart's content, but if you are truly worried about 'peanut dust' the allergy sufferer will have walked thru a cloud of it getting to the seat in the first place. Not to mention all the crap, & peanut dust, that's ground into the carpets or floating around in the airport.

If you/your child is that allergic to 'peanut dust', then do everyone a favor & wear a mask & gloves because that's truly the only way to prevent a reaction from all this peanut dust you are afraid of.

Just to clarify - I don't have a peanut allergy, nor do I have a child who has one. What I DO have, unlike many posters here, is some consideration for my fellow human beings. It would be one thing if the government was saying, "We're banning peanuts everywhere in the country, permanently." Trust me, I would be up in arms about that. But is it really THAT much of an inconvenience for you to not eat peanuts for a couple of hours on a plane?

txrus, I agree that if your allergy is that severe, it probably WOULD be a good idea to wear a mask and gloves.

I'm not even saying that airlines should ban peanuts outright. But guess what - as the article says, most of them have done so VOLUNTARILY out of concern for their passengers. And Southwest appears to be perfectly willing to cooperate if they're notified ahead of time that someone with a peanut allergy will be on a flight.

What I really find amusing is the number of people who are raising holy hell about not having peanuts on flights - when only TWO domestic airlines actually still serve them. Do all of you ONLY fly Delta and Southwest? In addition - if you feel so strongly about this issue, instead of complaining here, why not contact the DOT and let them know how you feel?

Vicki, you are a voice of reason in this mob! Granted, many times small minorities insist on special accommodations that inconvenience the majority. And everyone needs to take personal responsibility -- if a child has a very severe peanut allergy, life will never be normal for him or his parents. They need to take precautions and act responsibly, especially when away from home. There is always the possibility peanuts are brought on board a plane even if they are not served by the airline.

But, come on, people, we are talking PEANUTS here. If you truly cannot do without peanuts for the length of time it takes to fly from here to there, perhaps you need to check into rehab! Or seek treatment for your extreme anti-social behavior.

If the flight I take doesn't serve peanuts, I take my own....I simply like to munch on peanuts while reading or watching the in-flight movie.

CLAIRE-500832, there is a simple answer to your question posted at 5:13 pm

Love thy neighbor.

Sal, I agree it's just peanuts. For now. But it would open Pandora's box...once we start, it will never stop.

Jeez, the way you and others talk, you'd think the government was going to completely ban peanuts in the country. Would it REALLY kill you to NOT have peanuts on a 3 or 4 hour airline flight?

Who's to say they won't? You ban them in schools and planes because 1% of the population MIGHT die, who's to say the government won't say they aren't allowed in this country anymore. It's called a slippery slope, and once the door is opened for banning in a few places, more and more places will start doing it.

It's not just about the planes, it's about the fact that you can't bow down to the 1% of people all of the time because they don't like something.

And don't smoke but don't tell me that I can't smoke.

It's the same arguement and it's just as WRONG.

rpearlston, you're free to smoke as long as 1) I can't smell it, and 2) I don't have to cover your healthcare because of it (by increased insurance premiums or taxes).

How is it that Obama is responsible for everything that has ever gone wrong in this country including peanut allergies? It's amazing how short a memory Bush people have. I don't agree with everything Obama has done, but he walked into a major mess and it's not going to get changed overnight. I don't blame Bush for the peanut problem (that's getting a bit ridiculous), but I do for much of the rest of what our country is dealing with now.

Well let's just blame former President Jimmie Carter for the peanut problem, afterall, he was a peanut farmer before he was President.

Are you saying that a person who has their throat close and can't breathe only "thinks" they have an allergy? That kind of thinking makes ME want to vomit! And, yes, I've heard it before-from a doctor!

Once again, someone is comparing apples and oranges. The other examples you cited are foods that people CHOOSE not to eat for religious reasons. It's highly doubtful that they would die from eating them, let alone being around them - unlike people with peanut allergies, who can and do die from exposure to peanuts.

Actually, under the Koran, an Arab consuming pork is grounds for stoning. So, no, despite your fruit confusion and otherwise ignorant attempt to distort the sprit of the statment, it isn't any different. Enjoy your peanuts!

Both sides

My daughter has a severe peanut allergy and has not eaten a peanut in 18 years. However due to the aerosolization of peanuts, she goes into anaphylaxis, thats how servere her histamine reaction has become. When we fly, (and at times we have no alternatives) we take every precaution to notify the airlines , many times over. Recently we flew Delta. When I made the reservations, I told them.They said no problem, just remind the gate agent. I did when we arrived at the gate and he said, fine..just remind the flight attendants. I did. About an hour into the flight, I looked at my daughter, and here came the hives, followed by tongue swelling, and respiratory distress. I callled the flight attendant who was very sweet but admitted that she had forgotten herself and forgotten to tell the other flight attendants and they were handing out peanuts. She felt terrible as my daughter stuggled to breathe, get her Epi-pen etc. Im very grateful she survived that flight and I know it was not intentional, but people are human. If we dont offer alternatives to peanuts on airplanes, someone is going to die in the air. Its just a matter of time. And even after all this..some jerk behind us started to complain that he didnt get his damm peanuts! Im a registered nurse..please people I urge you to educate yourself on this lethal allergy, the differences between many of the allergies here, and find the perspective that its peanuts verses peoples lives. This could have been deadly and next time it could be your friend, your sister, the family down your block!

but it not my place to tell other they must sufffer because of me.

Because people are REALLY going to suffer if they can't have peanuts for a few hours. Give me a break.

Doing without peanutes for a few hours is not a hardship to anyone. But being exposed to peanuts or peanut products, even if it's simply a tiny bit of the fumes from a touch of peanut oil on the outside of a packet of peanuts, is deadly to too many people.

What is it in this you fail to understand? What is it in this that you find to be so very objectionable? Are you that ignorant of the facts or simply that selfish?

How many people would suffer a lethal reaction with such a tiny level of exposure? And more to the point, how do you decide what is and is not banned. Having read the comments I've come across posters who are allergic to peanuts, milk, beef, coffee, flour and probably a few I'm forgetting. So where is the line drawn? ONLY if it can kill someone? What if only one person in the world could experience a lethal reaction? 10? 100? 1000? At what point does it potentially harm enough people to be banned? And why stop at airlines, why don't we just ban the products outright? It's possible a package could be torn open in a grocery store, you know. I think most people against the ban aren't all about peanuts - they seem to be all about the person with the allergy looking out for themselves, rather than asking everyone else to (which seems fair to me).

People like you are why the world is the way it is today.Cold hearted!!!

Maybe you should consider another form of transportation. There is no way anyone can guarantee that there is no nut dust in any airplane.

Really people? We are talking about peanuts here. A teeny-tiny bag of peanuts. So airlines don't serve you your precious bag of peanuts...what's the big deal. I know you can ALL live without having those nuts.

Yes, there are more and more kids with peanuts/tree nut allergies, but that doesn't make us any better than them and doesn't give us the right to DEMAND that we have our peanuts. There are more important things to whine and complain about. Grow up people...it's just nuts!

I take my own on flights, because the little bags aren't enough, so they have a "no peanut flight", what happens if I ate them on the way to the airport? Or while sitting in the terminal waiting for my flight? Am I supposed to jump up and change my clothes? Scream "STOP THE PLANE, I JUST ATE PEANUTS", while I run down the isle tearing off my clothes?

And it is up to you to make sure that your child doesn't eat peanuts. If "peanut dust" causes a reaction (which frankly, I call bull@!$%# on...'cause there's peanut dust EVERYWHERE...go to a grocery store where nuts are loose in bins, lots of dust there for sure!) then your child should NEVER be allowed out in public. Period.

I eat nuts of all sorts, and touch door handles, breathe, etc. if your kid can't be exposed to that you have serious issues and banning peanuts on planes isn't going to help. This may make you feel more comfortable but the goal isn't your comfort - it's your child's safety.

I have severe allergies, and so do my children. We control our environment as best we can, and cope with symptoms when we can't. Before you cry anaphylaxis, we have anaphylactic reactions and carry EpiPens and other devices, but constant vigilance is what keeps us alive. Not being all comfy and assuming that everyone else is as concerned for our welfare as we are.

Are you informing the airline of this allergy WHEN YOU BOOK (not when you step on to the plane), giving your child the oral preventative prior to the flights, AND having them wear a mask for the duration? If so, I think most folks would be happy to forgo peanuts for a few hours. If you're not doing all that you can, though...why should we?

pukeonmyshoe

My daughters allergy has also become so severe over the last 18 years since she had her last peanut that she goes into anaphylaxis when even exposed to the aerosolization of peanuts. I believe as a nurse it is about education and as you noted..perspective. I have urged people to educate themselves (many good websites) so that they learn the severity of this allegy. But I also agree that as humans we need to keep perspective of what is important. The vehement selfishness of some people here scares me. NO ONE is going to die over not having some peanuts for a few hours. What they dont seem to care about is that your child or mine could not be walking off that planes when it lands, they could be carried off dead. Tell me then all you people..how would you feel watching that? Please, educate yourselves. There are different types of allergies, most do not cause anaphylaxis. This one can and it could be someone you love!

Lawyer in Training, when making certain arguments, as you will learn in court, it pays to brush up on the facts. Of course, I know that lawyers are just as shoddy about it as the next guy, they are simply better at trying to talk others into believing them.

There is no amount of 'oral preventative' (may I presume you refer to antihistamines?) that can protect someone with a severe allergy. My husband is allergic to clams. He simply doesn't eat clams. Thats it. No big deal. Now, if I were to give him a few benadryl and then have him eat clams he will still have that IgE mediated reaction. It may be a little lighter, meaning he may throw up only 5 times in an hour rather than 9 times but he'll still get sick. If 'oral preventatives' were all there is to it you wouldn't have thousands of individuals rushing to the ER every year with allergic reactions to food. If antihistamines were all there is to it, my daughter and countless like her could go to school, visit the zoo, pet a dog, go horseback riding, and live a normal life. It doesn't even work for people who don't have life threatening reactions.

One other thing, allergic reactions get worse each time there is an exposure. Because the body, sensing this perceived threat produces more mast cells which are covered in receptors. This happens to people with non-life threatening allergies and even more so in individuals that anaphylact.

Epi Pens aren't a cure. They don't fix an allergic reaction. They may just buy a person enough time to call for help or get to a hospital with a crash cart. Many who have life threatening allergies carry several pens because one pen alone wouldn't do it. A mask doesn't stop airborne proteins from coming through. Longsleeved clothing can help but is no guarantee.

No one is asking people to give up peanuts for ever or stop eating them at home. Just for a few hours in an enclosed space with recycled air.

If you really are a lawyer in training you are still young. You will eventually have someone in your life with allergies. Maybe even severe. We'll see how you sing then.

I don't claim to be an expert on allergies - others had mentioned oral preventatives, and I took them at their word. Since this appears not to be case, I'll rephrase my original question:

Are you informing the airline of this allergy WHEN YOU BOOK (not when you step on to the plane), having them wear a mask for the duration, and taking any other steps that you personally can take without involving outside parties? If so, I think most folks would be happy to forgo peanuts for a few hours. If you're not doing all that you can, though...why should we?

My thoughts as well.

Good point -- heaven knows what is in the food we are eating nowadays!

You are right. Problably they are cooked in that wonderful new transglyceride free? oil that has all the side affects like diaherrea when you eat a french fry

I was wondering something similar, trco. Nowadays everyone, his kid, and his dog is allergic to 90% of everything on the face of the planet, including their kids and dogs. Where did this all come from? When I was in school during the 70s and 80s, this was never such an issue. Wonder what triggered it?

(Probably Bush's fault, y'know.)

It's been investigated. But even organic peanuts will still cause anaphalactic reactions in those who are severly allergic to peanuts.

It's the PEANUTS!

It's not the peanuts, its the people. The peanuts do not have a reaction to the people.

Blaming the peanuts is like blaming a match for burning your finger. DUH!!!

As a parent with a child with a peanut allergy we don't fly. Don't buy ice cream from an ice cream shop. Don't go to any chinese or mexican restaurants or restaurants unless we first speak with the chef. We read all labels to avoid hidden peanut ingredients in your breakfast, lunch, dinner foods and even in your soap and shampoo. You would be surprised where nuts are found, and all you can do is judge and not imagine if you had to live like this on a daily basis.

Hopefully your child will grow out of it as many kids do. I am allergic to bees so I have been known to run away like a scared child from bees. Anyone with a potentially deadly allergy knows to minimize risk. But honestly I think most places that people go into daily have more risk then planes for peanut allergies. It's about minimizing risk as you clearly do for your child.

Just as I would never move into the Southern US for risk of African bees. Here the bees are claim so I simply get away from them. I haven't been stung since I was a teenager and plan to go decades more.