In just the first three weeks of 2018, poison control centers have received more than 80 calls about teenagers ingesting laundry detergent pods, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC).
Of the 86 calls poison control centers have received about teens intentionally ingesting laundry detergent, 47 have occurred in the last week alone.
The spike can be attributed to the "Tide Pod Challenge," an internet meme that began as a photos of colorful laundry pods topping foods, but quickly evolved into teens recording themselves biting into the laundry packs.
"We cannot stress enough how dangerous this is to the health of individuals — it can lead to seizure, pulmonary edema, respiratory arrest, coma, and even death," AAPCC’s CEO and Executive Director Stephen Kiminski said in a press release.
YouTube has already announced it will begin removing videos of users eating laundry detergent pods.
Anyone who partakes in the Tide Pod Challenge should immediately contact the national Poison Help hotline at 1-800-222-1222 or text Poison to 797979.
