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(Washington-AP) -- They're described as adult products -- aimed at kids.
An advocacy group that tries to stop the marketing of violent products to children has put out its annual list of things to avoid buying for kids this holiday season.
But this year's "Dirty Dozen" put out by The Lion and Lamb Project doesn't have individual toys. Instead, the group has focused on brands or on characters -- like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers and Spider-Man.
The group's executive director says she's amazed by how integrated marketing campaigns have become. The list tells parents to avoid buying some products related to many popular movies.
The group says there are now lots of products marketed to kids that come directly from adult-oriented movies, like Terminator and The Matrix trilogy.
Executive Director Daphne White says adult products like cigarettes and alcohol aren't marketed to kids -- and the violent games and DVDs shouldn't be marketed to them either.
She says research shows that kids younger than eight have a hard time distinguishing between fantasy and reality -- so letting them play with violent games and toys is dangerous.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
