White House Calls Postage Stamps Encouraging Fitness Unsafe - ABC News (blog)

Oct 11, 2013 12:18pm

A collection of U.S. postage stamps encouraging kids to play sports and lead active lifestyles was recalled after White House officials deemed the activities involved, like skateboarding and cannonballing into a swimming pool, unsafe, according to a postal service official.

The “Just Move” collection of stamps, designed by Eli Noyes, were intended to promote the government’s “Let’s Move” campaign advocating physical fitness, a cause championed by first lady Michelle Obama.

Officials from the President’s Council on Fitness saw the collection of 15 stamps and objected to at least three of them, a U.S. Postal Service official confirmed to ABC News.

The stamps deemed unsafe by federal officials included illustrations of kids skateboarding without kneepads, doing a cannonball dive into a swimming pool, and doing a handstand without wearing a helmet.

The story was first reported by Linn’s Stamp News. According to USPS spokesman Roy Betts, the story is accurate but for a detail that the collection would be destroyed. Bett’s told ABC News, “The stamps are on hold and a decision would be made later.”