A dangerous “challenge” that’s been making its way around the social media app TikTok is being blamed for the overdose death of a 15-year-old girl in Oklahoma.
It’s called the Benadryl Challenge, and as you might have concluded, participants are encouraged to consume large quantities of the allergy medication -- enough to hallucinate.
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The 15-year-old’s death was reported on Aug. 28 by KFOR in Oklahoma City. The news station also reported that the challenge was blamed for the hospitalization of at least three teenagers in Fort Worth, Texas, back in May.
Scott Schaeffer, director of the Oklahoma Center for Poison and Drug Information, told KFOR that large doses of the drug can cause seizures and heart issues. “The heart tends to go out of rhythm and not pump blood effectively,” he said.
Benadryl is the brand name of the generic drug known as diphenhydramine. Typically, it’s used to treat things like sneezing, a runny note, watery eyes and other allergy symptoms.
A spokesperson for Johnson and Johnson, the company that makes Benadryl, issued a statement to Fox News:
“The health and safety of people who use our products is our top priority. The BENADRYL TikTok trend is extremely concerning, dangerous and should be stopped immediately. As with any medicine, abuse or misuse can lead to serious side effects with potentially long-lasting consequences, and BENADRYL® products should only be used as directed by the label. It is our strong recommendation that all medications be kept out of the reach of children at all times. We are working with TikTok and our partners to do what we can to stop this dangerous trend, including the removal of content across social platforms that showcase this behavior.”