An Ohio family is encouraging parents to keep an eye on social media challenges after their 13-year-old son died.
Jacob Stevens overdosed on over-the-counter Benadryl after trying to copy an online challenge, the family 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.
In that challenge, kids are encouraged to take 12 to 14 pills to “see hallucinations” — but Jacob took more than that. His friends were filming him when his body started seizing, the family said.
Related: ‘Benadryl Challenge’ blamed for death of 15-year-old girl
“Keep an eye on what your kids (are) doing with that phone, talk to ‘em about, you know, the situation,” Justin Stevens, Jacob’s Father, said. “I want everybody to know about my son’s situation.”
Jacob’s family is now trying to get lawmakers to put an age restriction on buying over-the-counter medications like Benadryl.
Unfortunately, this trend is not new. We reported that a 15-year-old’s overdose death was also blamed on the dangerous challenge.
In 2020, 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.”
The Food and Drug Administration also issued a warning about the challenge and asked TikTok to remove videos of the stunt, Good Morning America reported.