Number Sign in String Variables

I have a MySQL database that includes data with the # sign in some data fields. My PHP script pulls the data out of the database fine, but when I got to write back to the database, I get errors because the string gets truncated at the # sign. For example: $query = "INSERT INTO order_detail SET customer_id = -1, order_id = $order_no, item_id = $item_id, item_num = \"$item_num\", unit = \"$unit\", short_desc = \"$short_desc\", quantity = $quantity, wholesaler = \"$wholesaler\", cost = $cost, sale_price = $sale_price"; This statement fails if $short_desc contains a # sign. The string stops at the # sign, and all the subsequent fields are empty or garbage. None of the various resources I have looked at indicate that the # sign is a special character. Any suggestions? -- Joab Ben Stieglitz jstieglitz@st-i-e-g.org