It is weird, it is dangerous, and it is definitely stupid. It is something any mentally sound person, or child over seven years old would never think of doing. It is something that has grabbed news headlines across the nation purely based on how insanely idiotic it is to do this. Yes, this article is about the “Tide Pod Challenge.”

If you have not yet heard about this wave of stupidity sweeping across the nation, here is a quick run down. Tide is a laundry detergent manufacturer owned by Procter and Gamble. The company is known for its various lines of laundry detergent and cleaning products. The Tide Pod, as it is called, is a liquid laundry pac designed to simply be tossed into washing machines to eliminate the need to measure out liquid laundry detergent. Here’s the problem. For some reason people have decided to start eating these detergent pacs. Yes, you read that correctly. People have started eating laundry detergent for fun and recording it for the world to see. This “fun” challenge has resulted in extreme consequences for those dumb enough to participate.

The “Tide Pod Challenge” poses an extreme health threat to those who attempt it. The result of consuming this product can result in minor individual injuries but those injuries become significant when they all happen simultaneously. These injuries and side effects include difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, vomiting, drastic changes in heart rate/blood pressure, pulmonary arrest, seizures, and in extreme cases death. There have been eight reported fatalities as the result of the consumption of Tide Pods.

Tide has responded to the situation in multiple ways. They tweeted out to customers that the sole purpose of their products are to do laundry, nothing more. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission echoed Tide, posting why you should not eat the pods and how to prevent consumption. Tide even when as far as enlisting the help of NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski to help get their point across. However, in spite of the uproar, Tide will not being pulling Tide pods from store shelves.

It is sad that this is what the country has come to. We have reached a point where people have to actually be told that eating LAUNDRY DETERGENT is a bad thing. It should be common sense to not eat poison.

In any case, whatever you do, DO NOT EAT TIDE PODS.