School is out, and everyone's at home. While many people are fighting for their lives, young people are left helplessly bored in their own homes. Thank heavens for the internet and social media.
With that having said, TikTok has been popular with teenagers lately, with many sharing various videos of themselves doing all sorts of things. The latest viral TikTok challenge is the "nutmeg challenge." Participants of the challenge chuck an abnormally large amount of ground nutmeg into a glass of water and gulp it down.
Although this might not make some sense to some, teens do this to get high. They claim that the concoction gives off a hallucinogenic high, which is comparable to the drug, lysergic acid diethylamide, or psychedelic mushroom.
Quarantine seems to be hitting some people a little too hard as they turn to their spice rack in search of substances to get them high. The effects of the challenge claim to last anywhere from six to thirty hours.
@fatbear99 Doing it again but 10x more just 4 fun ##fyp ##nutmeg ##nutmegchallenge ##foryou ##gross ♬ Inside Their Head - TT remix
Myristicin in Nutmeg
The culprit here is myristicin, which gives of a hallucinogenic effect if consumed in large quantities. According to researchers from Universiti Sains Malaysia, the minimum dosage of ground nutmeg that can cause a psychogenic result is 5 grams.
Case studies from the Illinois Poison Center found that around two teaspoons of nutmeg were enough to cause symptoms of toxicity. Doses of 50 grams or more could lead to more severe symptoms and may even be deadly. Myristicin poisoning may cause health problems related to the brain.
For the nutmeg challenge, teens are dumping nutmeg straight from the bottle, most of the time, without even measurements. TikTok challenge participants should seriously consider their health when delving into challenges such as these as they might develop substance intoxication.
Other Dangerous TikTok Challenges
Various TikTok challenges have sprung up, and some of them pose a threat to the safety of the participants. In an attempt to be "TikTok famous," kids nowadays would try anything to get their few minutes of fame.
One of many pre-existing "challenges" to make its way to the TikTok platform, is the salt and ice challenge. In the challenge, participants are to put salt on one's skin and then holding an ice cube on the spot for as long as possible. The combination of ice and salt creates a chemical reaction that causes pain and can also lead to frostbite, first- or second-degree burns, and blisters.
Another is the skull-breaker challenge, which involves two people kicking each leg of a third person from under, casing them fall to over. US prosecutors have charged two youngsters with aggravated assault over the prank and warned parents to stop their children from taking part.
Finally, the cereal challenge which involves using one's mouth as a 'bowl' where you pour cereal and milk into, and another eats directly from it. This poses a choking hazard and is extremely unhygienic.
People should find ways to preoccupy themselves while on quarantine, without potentially harming themselves or other people. Instead of engaging in dangerous TikTok challenges, young people should think about what they can do in the meantime to help others or to improve themselves in terms of skill or knowledge.
