I've got a riddle for you

What can it be that has been banned by American governments, something so special, so evil, Americans today are not allowed to have access to it.

This is a two year old article from an American newspaper. It warns the public about a certain illegal item which had been banned for ten years before it was discovered in two major cities, brought back by ruthless smugglers:

NEW YORK - Consumer Reports has discovered hazardous and illegal xxx on shelves in food shops in suburban New York and the Washington, D.C. area. The xxx are popular worldwide, but they have been banned in the United States by the Consumer Product Safety Commission since 1997.

The production groups' U.S. arm has fully honored the ban. However, the xxx still manage to make their way into the U.S. stream of commerce and are occasionally available from gourmet food stores, candy merchants, and ethnic importers.

Many of the xxx are imported by companies specializing in foods from countries where the product is available legally. The xxx are also available on the Internet. Until recently, even Amazon.com offered xxx sold by a Greek importer through its Marketplace program.


What can it possibly be, this horrible, evil thing that has the potential to injure, if not kill, Americans, but which Europeans seem resistant to?