The increasing popularity of TikTok doesn’t need particular mention. And like many other apps, this comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. At the moment, a new challenge on TikTok that the users have been blindly following has concerned US health regulators. A new trend has got the teens on TikTok polishing their culinary expertise in rather experimental ways. Of all the ingredients available on the planet, teens on TikTok are cooking chicken with the cold medication, NyQuil. Read along to know more about the ‘sleepy chicken’ challenge.
The What and Why
The dangers of blindly following social media trends come in various shapes and sizes. And this time perhaps the levels of experimentation have gone a bit too far that even the health regulators in the US are warning against it. Teens following the so-called ‘sleepy chicken’ trend cook chicken breasts marinated in NyQuil. For those who aren’t aware, NyQuil contains acetaminophen, dextromethorphan, and doxylamine. As per the warnings from the FDA, boiling this particular medication can cause a significant change in the concentration and properties of these ingredients which isn’t ideal for the human body.
If you think that just cooking and not eating this dish is spare all the wreck, then you are wrong. Because the vapors while cooking are more than enough for the ‘sleepy chicken’ to do its job. “Even if you don’t eat the chicken, inhaling the medication’s vapors while cooking could cause high levels of drugs to enter the body.”
This is not the first time a social media trend has got people consuming unhealthy and unsafe products. This is much similar to the challenges that made some kids eat Tide Pods, or consume large quantities of Benadryl to get high. These trends further emphasize the power of social media which can have an adverse effect on the well-being and health of people.
The increasing number of dangerous health outcomes from online challenges made the FDA issued an advisory last week, urging parents to be on guard and to keep away even over-the-counter medication from kids. It is also important to ensure that the kids are warned and educated about the consequences of blindly following social media advice. Because as the saying goes, it is always better to be safe than sorry.
“The FDA actively monitors social media trends in efforts to combat the spread of online misinformation. The agency will continue to prioritize the safety of consumers and regulated products,” an email from an FDA official said.