A 14-year-old’s family is raising awareness about the potentially deadly ‘spicy chip’ challenge after their son’s passing.
Harris Wolobah's mother picked him up from the school's nurse's office because he had passed out after eating the Paqui spicy chip.
After returning home, the teenager lost consciousness again and was transported to the emergency room, where he ultimately passed away.
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While the family is still waiting for the official cause of death for their son, the family is confident that the chip played a significant role in his death. Wolobah was described as a healthy teen with “no pre-existing condition,” according to his father.
Since the One Chip Challenge was introduced in 2016, it has gained a great deal of popularity over the years. As part of the challenge, people are encouraged to consume the Paqui Carolina Reaper + Naga Viper Pepper Chip and try to avoid eating or drinking anything for a certain period of time afterward.
There is a hashtag #OneChipChallenge that has been set up to help people share their reactions. Despite the fact that Paqui has yet to make an official statement about Wolobah’s death, their website has been updated with warnings about the chip that they are placing front and center.
Some of the warnings include “Do not eat if you are sensitive to spicy foods, allergic to peppers, night shades or capsaicin, or are pregnant or have any medical conditions” along with “intended for adult consumption.”
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These same warnings are also listed on the package of the chip. According to the National Capital Poison Center, the ingredient capsaicin can cause “serious health problems including heart attack and esophageal damage.”
Due to the extreme effects this challenge can have on children, it is strongly recommended that they do not participate in this challenge. Registered dietitian Shelby Pena explains that even though this challenge might not be life-threatening to adults, for children it can pose a very serious risk.
“In pediatrics, it is the opposite. They need to know that in children, eating really spicy or too much spice at one time can actually induce seizures, heart attacks and then lead to death," Pena says.
However, the company continues to market the product despite the plethora of warnings that have been issued. Although the Paqui Chips' social media accounts have not posted anything since March, the challenge is still gaining the attention of youth. However, as with many viral trends-- just because other people are doing it doesn't mean it doesn't mean you should engage in the same risky behavior that they are. Despite this, the social media challenge has made waves over the past few years, growing in popularity with each passing year. Nevertheless, Wolobah's family is determined to deter this and told CBS News they want the chip to be removed from stores.
In addition, other adults are following the same path. Many schools have issued warnings about the challenge including a school in California that sent an alert to parents after several students became ill after eating the chip.
“We learned about the one-chip challenge trend after several students were sent home due to adverse reactions related to this product. As the district has done in the past when a social media challenge encourages activity that could be harmful, we send a letter to our parents regarding the situation and encourage them to have a conversation with their children,” a school in the Bay Area shared in a letter sent home to parents.
Social media trends can be deadly, and users should always weigh the risks and rewards of potentially going viral after completing certain challenges.
