MN Poison Control Says 'Tide Pod Challenge' Is No Joke
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Many on social media are enjoying the viral prank called the "Tide Pod Challenge." But the Minnesota Poison Control System says it's absolutely no laughing matter.
This new trend has doctors and parents nationwide worried about the health of their teens. The new trend requires the challenger to post a video of themselves online eating the raw or cooked laundry detergent pod.
A number of videos of the challenge have been uploaded to YouTube, while memes of the challenge have exploded across multiple social media platforms.
While many teens may view the craze as a lighthearted joke, the MPCS said that the trend is encouraging behavior that's "extremely dangerous."
"Even if the entire pod is not swallowed, ingesting just a small amount of the concentrated detergent can cause effects such as burns inside or around the mouth, nausea, or breathing problems," the organization said.
While the Tide Pod Challenge may have started as a joke, it is extremely dangerous! Even if the entire pod is not swallowed, ingesting just a small amount of the concentrated detergent can cause effects such as burns inside or around the mouth, nausea, or breathing problems. pic.twitter.com/Li1bxbAM8F
— Minnesota Poison Control System (@MNpoisoncenter) January 12, 2018
Tide parent company Proctor and Gamble earlier released a statement saying, "Our laundry pacs are a highly concentrated detergent meant to clean clothes and they're used safely in millions of households every day. They should be only used to clean clothes and kept up, closed and away from children. They should not be played with, whatever the circumstance is, even if it is meant as a joke."