Halloween Poisoned Candies: Myths and Facts
October 31, 2010 – 6:46 pmFor years now, there has been paranoia among parents taking their children out for a trick or treat. Almost every year, there are countless news stories around the world about poisonous candies, cyanide laced chocolates, razor blades in fruit and adulterated foods.
Over the years, these stories have been passed on by word of mouth and the media and exaggerated to such an extent that no one really knows the truth. The stories are often wild, imaginative and preposterous in many cases. Is trick or treating during Halloween a dangerous social event? Has anyone died, been incapacitated or killed in the past? How many children have been poisoned? Are poisoned candies common during Halloween? Has anyone demonstrated cyanide in candies or poisonous chemicals in chocolates?
The answer to all these question is NO.
Despite all these exaggerated stories, it is the rare child who has ever been harmed by treats given during Halloween. Sure, there have been a few reports of children being poisoned, but the culprits in these cases were not strangers but their own parents.
This annual event at the end of October, generates more myths than the ogopogo or UFOs. Says, Aaron Campbell g a professor of pediatrics at Indiana University and co-author of “Don’t Swallow Your Gum! Myths, Half-Truths, and Outright Lies about Your Body and Health” (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2009), “strangers are getting ready to poison the candy, as for all the warnings, “they are, to some extent, fear-mongering.”
To get the facts right, there has only one verified fact of poisoned Halloween candy laced with cyanide. This was in 1974 when an 8 year old died while sucking on a Pixy Stix- and the grim reaper was his loving dad.
As far as razor blades, pins and needles in Halloween foods – this is another myth and never has a case ever been proven.
So for all parents; stop becoming paranoid inspecting all the candies your child receives tonight. Rather, spend time worrying about car accidents that are four times more likely to kill your child then Halloween candy. The next most likely cause of harm during Halloween is allergic reactions to certain candies. So here is to another great Halloween and BOO to you all.
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