A drinking straw has an elongated body with a longitudinal flow channel. The user end of the body is closed and rounded for safety. A pair of lateral channels open onto the body adjacent the user end and provide fluid communication to the flow channel. The straw is injection molded, and a mold is provided which accommodates thermal expansion of a rod forming the flow channel. A pair of opposed cavity inserts form the lateral channels. To reduce bending stresses on the rod upon removal of the cavity inserts, one cavity insert is formed longer to the other. This longer cavity insert is removed prior to opening of the mold plates, and as such the straw and rod are supported against bending during this removal.