Every Halloween, news outlets are quick to remind us that no one actually puts razor blades and poison into Halloween candy. It all traces back to a single man, the story goes: Ronald Clark O’Bryan, who poisoned a bunch of Pixy Stix back in 1974 and screwed things up for everybody.
But maybe all those reminders about how it’s not a thing made some monsters think that, hey, maybe it could be a thing. Because the news is positively brimming with reports (and photos) of sharp objects hiding in hunks of chocolate. For example:
- In New Jersey, police are investigating reports of a needle found inside a Tootsie roll.
- A 12-year old boy in Marysville, Washington found a small, sharp nail in a Snickers bar.
- In the Pennsylvania suburb of Shamokin, a 35-year old man is accused of dropping a hunting-style knife into the trick-or-treat basket of a three-year old boy.
- Police in Maryland are investigating a needleless syringe mixed in with a child’s candy.
- An Arizona family allegedly found full-size razor blade wedged into a Snickers bar.
- What’s next? Drugs? Maybe! Now that recreational marijuana edibles are legal in select states, authorities are urging parents to sniff out any pot-infused treats.
While some or all of these reports may turn out to be hoaxes (others already have), you’ll probably want to keep searching your kids’ trick-or-treat bags. In any case, stop it, dickheads.
