At least 10 students in Orange, Massachusetts, went to the hospital after taking a “gum challenge” on TikTok
The task was to chew gum that had the same active ingredient as pepper spray. The challenge was brought back to the platform by Spice King Cameron Walker, who promoted CaJohns Trouble Bubble Bubble Gum in a video.
What is the TikTok gum challenge and why is it dangerous as 10 students are hospitalized
Police have warned parents and children not to do the task. Because it has 16 million Scoville Heat Units, the gum has been called “the hottest bubble gum on the planet.” The challenge is to chew the gum long enough to make a bubble. In 2021, when TikTok users posted videos of themselves doing it, it became famous. But with the most recent challenge, the trend has come back to the network.
New ⚠️ TROUBLE BUBBLE – CaJohns 16 Million SHU Bubble Gum Challenge
🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧🚧
•Carefully crafted to contain Pure 16 Million Scoville Extract
•Try to blow the biggest bubble that you can without spitting anything out… spitters are quitters!
🔞 Over 18 only pic.twitter.com/rDJp5lAt7O— Frank Jay 🟣 (@thechillishop) January 28, 2022
MassLive says that during break, some students at Dexter Park Elementary School bought a pack of CaJohn’s gum. They gave it to other students. The kids had to be taken to the hospital because it had parts that made it worse than even the hottest peppers in the world.
Cautionary warning issued by Southborough Police over CaJohns Gum
On Wednesday, Southborough Police warned people about the gum challenge on Facebook after a few students in Orange got sick after trying it. The gum has been named CaJohns Trouble Bubble Bubble Gum by the police. In a statement, they said that “police level pepper spray is normally rated to one to two million Scoville heat units. This is a way to measure the amount of heat an individual feels when they come into contact. This gum is rated at 16 million Scoville Heat Units.”
TikTokers report adverse reactions after participating in gum challenge
Insider says that one TikToker who tried the gum had to eat ice cream for more than 10 minutes. Another student said she had to throw up after that. Police have told anyone who chews the gum to quickly rinse and spit out as much water as possible.
Parents and government officials are worried about the possible dangers of social media dares that go viral. Some challenges, like the TikTok gum challenge, are harmless, but others, like that one, can hurt people and put their health at danger. Parents should keep an eye on what their kids do on social media and teach them about the risks of taking part in viral tasks.