There's been a huge debate around here about selling poinsettias for decorations. A small but vocal animal rights group has gone about declaiming that poinsettias are poisonous to pets and should not be allowed to be sold during the church's fundraiser to households with pets (and, presumably, to those with children, as well).

I quietly suggested that a bit of research (yay for Google) might unearth some facts and quiet the furor. As you can imagine, those who were sure they were right were hostile to any notion that further information was needed.

::sigh::

It turns out, according to the SPCA and the Pet Poison Control Center, that poinsettias are only mildly toxic, causing drooling and perhaps diarrhea, but pets are unlikely to need medical intervention except in extreme cases, as the poison is eliminated naturally.

A person is entitled to his/her own opinion, but facts are facts. And I don't agree with a rabid opinion becoming the rule for everybody. Surely intelligent, informed people can make the appropriate choices for their own situations.