The Tide Pod Challenge is a challenge that teenagers are doing where they record themselves eating a Tide Pod. The problem with this challenge is that not only are people eating pods filled with dangerous chemicals––but it’s that most teenagers are doing it for fame among their friends. This challenge is extremely dangerous since Tide Pods aren’t meant to be consumed. Some effects of eating a Tide Pod include breathing problems, damage to the esophagus, gas problems and loss of consciousness.

    Mrs. Kim, the biology teacher at Oakland Mills, explains that “these things happen because, every single chemical in a Tide Pod is dangerous if eaten.” She goes on to say that “if you eat a Tide Pod, the best thing that can happen is if your body reacts and starts throwing up, because it’s getting rid of some of the chemicals and then the doctors can pump the rest of the chemicals out of your stomach.” Some of the chemicals in Tide Pods are citric acid, hydrogen peroxide, polyvinyl alcohol, and perfumes. These chemicals aren’t used for anything thing else other than to clean your clothes. These chemicals are all different types of bleach put together, so when you digest Tide Pods, it can cause serious harm to your body.

    The reports from the Poison Control Center state that there have been at least eighty-six intentional misuses of laundry packets in the first month of 2018 alone. In 2017, there was only fifty-three misuses in total. Mrs. Kim warns that “the end result of eating a tide pod isn’t a one-hundred percent because everyone is different; some people can eat one, get sick for a short amount of time, and then be fine, but others won’t be as lucky and they will end up dying.”