The Chips Go Down

Food can be medicine - but it can also be toxic. And not always for the obvious reasons...

Harris was a victim of the usual corporate manipulation. He ate a snack food that was advertised and promoted as a "challenge" which in this case was to tolerate concentrated doses of the capsaicin from two of the hottest chillies in the world. 

In Harris' case it was a combination of the capsaicin and an undetected heart condition that caused the death. But Pacqui (parent company being Hershey) took the product off the market, but seriously, WTFSM?

Firstly, what do peppers use capsaicin for? A defensive weapon. Something that will deter or even kill that insect or other pest that's trying to eat the pepper. Toxic? Check.

Second, presenting the chip as a "challenge." We've gotten used to "challenges" that are presented in such a social-based setting as being mildly inconveniencing activities or things like ice water, and definitely not in the sense of "challenges that could result in your death." But of course even ice water can kill someone that has a heart condition.

Lastly, who is going to jail for what amounts to this negligent manslaughter, negligent in that warnings about the toxicity of capsaicin appear not to have been prominent. Negligent in that, like so many dangerous products, it's marketed to teenagers and those with as yet undeveloped brains (proven fact BTW) and impulse control. 

Look at tobacco. I was caught up in that "Marlboro Man" hype, and I have COPD emphysema as a result. Look at What Tobacco Did Next: vaping. Look at all the executives - those responsible for those marketing decisions, responsible for hiding the deadly effects and even inventing studies to deny the deadly effects - went to jail or were sentenced to be executed. None. 

And it's all done in the name of "profit."

I feel for the plight of Harris' mother who sent her son off to school just like any other day, and find his life had been made terrifying and painful and finally ended, by a bunch of people in a boardroom discussing how they could increase profits by presenting their product in a way that guaranteed that people would push people into consuming the whole of something that commonsense would dictate they should nibble in small quantities.

And I urge every one of you reading this to become activated. Become someone that calls out these sorts of dangerous profit-driven exploits. Help stamp out that kind of cold callous greed that ruins lives.

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