Tonight's Halloween! Make sure you're up to date on how to have a fun, safe and spooky holiday.
Poisoned Candy Myths
Trick-or-treating is fast approaching for little ones throughout the country. While history shows us that parents shouldn't really be concerned about poisoned candy, if we look back, there was a case of "tricked-out" treats. However, it had nothing to do with candy from strangers. It was an inside case, according to Snopes.
In 1974, an 8-year-old Houston boy named Timothy O'Bryan died after eating cyanide-laced Pixy Stix while trick-or-treating. This story has stirred up countless tales about poisoned candy over the years.
However, the incident an inside job, caused by his father, Ronald Clark O'Bryan, who took out hefty life insurance policies on both his children before giving them the poisoned treats. His daughter, Elizabeth, however, did not eat any of the candy.
Another case in 1970 also shows that a 5-year-old in Detroit died after ingesting a massive amount of heroin. Though police had originally thought candy had been poisoned with heroin, it turns out that the boy had found his uncle's heroin stash and eaten a bunch of it shortly before he died.
Other Objects In Treats...
While parents can rest assured that their children's treats won't be tainted, there have been a few stories about foreign objects coming home with goodies. Since 1959, there have been around 80 reports of sharp objects being found in candy, from razor blades to needles or blades. However, a great deal of these reports have also turned out to be hoaxes as well, according to Mental_Floss.
Other Weird Things?
In 2000, some other absurdities had occasionally been found in treats. For instance, some Snickers wrappers stuffed with marijuana were even discovered. Fortunately, the treats were later tracked to a postal worker who obtained it from an undeliverable package, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
What You Should ACTUALLY Be Concerned With On Halloween
Whether you're watching out for your kids, a teenager or just giving out candy in your home, it's critical to keep in mind: Halloween is a dangerous night. (And NO. We're not talking about the legends of ghosts, black cats or spells.) However, we ARE talking about safety.
Make Halloween Safe And Fun!
Statistics show that one of the biggest Halloween dangers of all is car accidents. For instance, children are more than twice as likely to be killed by a car while walking on Halloween night than any other time of the year, according to Safe Kids USA. Furthermore, carving pumpkins and trick-or-treating sends many children to emergency rooms in the United States every year, according to data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System.
Here are some smart tips to make Halloween a fun and memorable holiday with family and friends, from trick-or-treating in groups to wearing costumes that are easy to see and flame-resistant. Check more tips out here, courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
This story originally appeared at Science World Report.
