Hot Take on the Hot Chip

(Mercury News photo)

Yet another example of social media being harmful to young people: [bold added]

Sudden nausea, profuse sweating and blue tongues — these are just some of the symptoms associated with the ‘One Chip Challenge,’ the latest social media trend to trigger warnings in Bay Area schools.

Since 2016, Paqui chip makers have promised to “shock” consumers with their annual “One Chip Challenge.” The directions are simple: Eat one of their pepper-laced chips, sold in individual coffin-shaped packages, and see how long you can last before “short circuiting” and seeking relief...

The 2022 chip is laced with Reaper and Scorpion peppers, which both contain more than 1 million Scoville units of heat (the average jalapeno pepper contains less than 8,000 Scoville units). The company says the seasonings will turn your tongue bright blue.

Multiple teenagers have reportedly been taken to the hospital after ingesting the chips, with one TikTok user posting a video of herself in an emergency room that has been watched more than 15.7 million times.

It's not unusual for people to chase fame by risking life and limb; now they're experiencing gastrointestinal damage and courting near-universal derision from thousands of their peers.

Youthful misjudgments were once considered embarrassing; now they're celebrated. Worse, they're stored on the permanent record that future employers and spouses can view. Well, at least the Hot Chip Challenge hasn't killed anyone....yet.