Ethan Rhodes
The Tide Pod Challenge, an internet trend that involved biting into brightly coloured laundry detergent packets, gained popularity in 2018. The challenge led to a surge in hospitalizations, with poison control centres in the US reporting 39 cases of teenagers being exposed to detergent packets in the first half of January alone. The highly concentrated detergent in these pods can cause severe burns to the mouth, throat and respiratory tract, and in some cases, even death. While the exact number of hospitalizations due to the Tide Pod Challenge is unclear, it is known that between 2012 and 2013, poison control centres reported over 7,000 cases of young children ingesting laundry pods, resulting in at least six deaths by 2017.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of people hospitalized for Tide Pods in 2012 and 2013 | An average of one child per day |
| Number of poison control calls for Tide Pods in 2012 | 7,700 |
| Number of poison control calls for Tide Pods in 2013 | 10,145 |
| Number of poison control calls for Tide Pods in 2015 | 14,000 |
| Number of poison control calls for Tide Pods in 2016 | 12,299 |
| Number of poison control calls for Tide Pods in 2017 | 12,000+ |
| Number of fatalities due to ingestion of Tide Pods as of 2017 | 8 |
| Number of fatalities among children 5 and younger due to ingestion of Tide Pods as of 2018 | 2 |
| Number of fatalities among adults with dementia due to ingestion of Tide Pods as of 2018 | 6 |
| Number of poison control calls for Tide Pods in January 2018 | 606 |
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What You'll Learn
The dangers of Tide Pods
In response to the initial reports of children consuming Tide Pods, Procter & Gamble (P&G) implemented several safety measures. They began distributing the pods in opaque tubs and bags, added warning labels, and introduced a bitter-tasting chemical to the pod contents to deter people from biting into them. P&G also strengthened the pods to reduce the chance of them bursting when squeezed and included child-safety features in the packaging. In addition, Tide's website offers guidance on how to safely handle its products and recommends drinking a glass of water or milk if a pod is swallowed, followed by calling a poison control center.
Despite these efforts, Tide Pods continue to pose a danger to children and individuals with dementia. In 2018, the "Tide Pod Challenge" emerged on social media, where teens intentionally consumed the pods as a stunt. This trend led to a further increase in poison control center calls and hospitalizations. While the exact number of hospitalizations due to Tide Pod ingestion is not readily available, the surge in poison control calls and the severity of the health risks associated with pod ingestion highlight the dangers posed by these products.
The allure of consuming Tide Pods has been attributed to their resemblance to candy and the meme culture surrounding them. The pods' colorful and fruity appearance has been likened to "forbidden fruit," with memes joking about how delicious they look. However, it is important to emphasize that ingesting Tide Pods is extremely dangerous and can have life-threatening consequences. The toxic detergent contained within the pods can cause serious harm, and in some cases, lead to death.
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Tide Pod internet meme
In late 2017, Tide Pods became an internet meme. The joke was centred around the idea of consuming the brightly coloured laundry detergent pods, which resemble delicious, fruity candy. The meme played on the idea that, despite being poisonous, Tide Pods look appealing enough to eat.
Tide Pods were introduced in 2012 and, due to their colourful, squishy, and fragrant appearance, they attracted young children. Between 2012 and 2013, poison control centres reported over 7,000 cases of young children consuming laundry pods, and by 2017, eight fatalities had been reported, including six adults with dementia. In response to these dangers, Procter & Gamble (P&G) changed Tide Pod containers to an opaque design, added warning labels, and incorporated a bitter-tasting chemical to the pod contents.
In 2018, the meme's popularity surged, and media outlets began reporting on the "Tide Pod Challenge", an internet challenge in which individuals consumed Tide Pods. This trend was particularly prevalent among teens, who recorded themselves chewing and gagging on pods before daring others to do the same. Some teens even cooked the pods before eating them. Responding to the growing media outcry, Google and Facebook started removing videos that featured the challenge, and P&G aired numerous advertisements urging people to avoid consuming the pods.
The meme's popularity resulted in a significant increase in poison control calls related to detergent pod ingestion. In January 2018, the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) recorded 606 exposures in children under five years old, along with a rise in teen exposures. However, it's important to note that detergent pod poisonings were already trending downward before the meme emerged, indicating that consumers were becoming more aware of the dangers and taking precautions to keep them away from children.
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Tide Pod challenge
In late 2017, Tide Pods became an internet meme, with people joking about how "delicious" they looked and posting images of the pods on top of food. In early 2018, this meme evolved into the "Tide Pod Challenge", a dare to intentionally consume the pods.
The Tide Pod Challenge was dangerous, with many people, especially children, requiring hospitalization after participating. The consequences of ingesting laundry detergent pods include vomiting, breathing difficulties, loss of consciousness, a change in blood pressure and heart rate, and seizures. Since 2012, there have been eight fatalities among children five and younger, and two of the eight deaths were children.
In response to the Tide Pod Challenge, Google and Facebook removed videos that featured the challenge, and Tide's parent company, Procter & Gamble (P&G), aired numerous advertisements urging people to avoid eating the pods. P&G also implemented several safety measures, including distributing Tide Pods in opaque tubs and bags, adding a bitter taste to the pods, strengthening the pods to reduce the chance of them bursting, and including child-safety features in the packaging.
Despite these efforts, the Tide Pod Challenge resulted in a significant number of poison control calls. In 2017, there were 12,299 calls to U.S. poison control centers due to exposure to laundry pods, and in January 2018, the American Association of Poison Control Centers recorded 606 exposures in children under five years old, in addition to an increase in teen exposures. While laundry pod exposures are trending downward, they still pose a serious health risk, particularly to young children who may mistake the pods for candy.
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Hospitalisation symptoms
The ingestion of Tide Pods can cause serious health issues and has been named an emerging health risk by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Between 2012 and 2013, poison control centers reported over 7,000 cases of young children eating laundry pods, with eight fatalities reported among children five and younger.
Hospitalization symptoms from consuming Tide Pods include:
- Vomiting
- Breathing difficulties
- Loss of consciousness
- Change in blood pressure and heart rate
- Seizures
- Throat swelling
- Drowsiness
In one case, a two-year-old girl, Bella, was hospitalized after vomiting uncontrollably and inhaling fluid into her lungs, blocking her airways. She stopped breathing and briefly flatlined. She was placed in a medically induced coma so that doctors could try to suction the detergent out of her lungs.
The health risks posed by the ingestion of Tide Pods, particularly by children, have been acknowledged by several media outlets, which have referenced the visual similarity the pods have to candy. In response to these concerns, Tide's parent company, Procter & Gamble, has implemented several safety measures, including distributing Tide Pods in opaque tubs and bags, adding a bitter taste to the pods, and strengthening the pods to reduce the chance of them bursting when squeezed.
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Tide Pod safety measures
In 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) named Tide Pods an emerging health risk. Between 2012 and 2013, poison control centers reported over 7,000 cases of young children eating laundry pods, and ingestion of laundry pods produced by P&G had resulted in six deaths by 2017. In 2018, the popularity of the "`Tide Pod Challenge"` internet meme led to a surge in poison control calls.
To address these concerns, Tide and P&G have implemented several safety measures:
- Opaque packaging: In response to the dangers of children consuming laundry detergent pods, P&G began distributing Tide Pods in opaque tubs and bags. This change aims to reduce the visual appeal of the pods to children and prevent accidental ingestion.
- Warning labels: Tide Pods now feature warning labels that emphasize the health risks associated with ingestion and the importance of keeping the product away from children.
- Bitter-tasting chemical: P&G added a bitter-tasting chemical to the pod contents to deter people from biting into them.
- Child-safety features: Tide has implemented child-safety features in its packaging, such as child-proof zippers, to make it more difficult for children to open the package.
- Strengthened pods: The pods have been strengthened to reduce the likelihood of them bursting when squeezed, reducing the risk of exposure to the toxic detergent.
- Public service announcements: Tide has partnered with celebrities and organizations to issue public service announcements discouraging people from consuming Tide Pods.
- Online content removal: In collaboration with social media platforms like YouTube and Facebook, Tide has worked to remove and age-restrict videos that depict or promote the consumption of Tide Pods.
- Educational resources: Tide's website includes a page discussing how to safely handle its products, including guidance on what to do if a product is swallowed. The company also provides child safety advice and information on how to make homes safe for families.
It is important to note that Tide Pods are intended for cleaning clothes and should be kept closed, stored up, and out of reach of children and individuals with dementia.
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Frequently asked questions
There were over 12,000 poison control calls related to people consuming Tide Pods in 2017, but it is unclear how many of those calls resulted in hospitalizations.
In 2013, 10,145 children aged 5 and under were exposed to Tide Pods, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. While it is not clear how many of these children were hospitalized, exposure can include ingestion, inhalation, absorption by the skin, and eyes.
Eight fatalities have been reported, six of which were adults with dementia, and two were children under the age of five.
Symptoms of Tide Pod poisoning include vomiting, breathing difficulties, loss of consciousness, drowsiness, throat swelling, and seizures.
If you suspect that someone has ingested a Tide Pod, call your local poison control center immediately and follow their instructions. Do not induce vomiting unless instructed to do so by a medical professional.
