The Spicy Chip challenge, a challenge on social media where people will attempt to eat an extremely spicy piece of tortilla, is seeing massive backlash after a tragic incident involving it. A teenager in Massachusetts allegedly died after attempting the said challenge, according to the testimony of his family.
As a result, social media users have shown massive concern over the product. So much so, that retailers have been prompted to remove the product from shelves after the manufacturer put in a request to do so. The teenager’s name was Harris Wolobah. On September 8th, their family held a vigil, a week since his passing, while the results of an autopsy remain to be seen about the exact cause of death. The family believes the Spicy Chip Challenge, or the One Chip Challenge, is squarely to blame.
Is The Spicy Chip Challenge A Health Hazard?
The Spicy Chip Challenge not only involves eating a single chip but also seeing how long the challenger can withstand the spiciness without drinking water or eating any other food. According to the police’s report, they responded to a call from Wolobah’s home on September 1st. Upon arriving, they encountered the boy in an unresponsive state. There were no signs of respiration. The hospital declared the boy dead on arrival.
According to the office of the medical examiner of the state, the exact cause of the tragedy will possibly take several weeks. However, Paqui, the manufacturer of the chip (the chip used for the Spicy Chip Challenge) requested retailers to immediately cease making the product available.
As such, people have been talking about their thoughts regarding the Spicy Chip Challenge. The chip has a price of around $10. Its packaging includes a foil and a box shaped like a coffin. It also warns consumers that it will induce intense pain and heat, and is made for adults. There is a further warning to ensure children never get a hold of it, but there have been no overseeing mechanisms stopping them from purchasing it.
