Students at Minnesota middle school treated for illness after attempting ‘One Chip Challenge’

EDINA, Minnesota (WCCO) — Several students at a Minnesota middle school became sick after attempting the viral “One Chip Challenge” on Thursday.

The challenge involves eating a tortilla chip made with the extremely hot Carolina reaper peppers and scorpion peppers and waiting as long as possible before eating or drinking anything. Videos of people doing this challenge are then shared to TikTok and YouTube.

Edina Public Schools in a statement said that students at South View Middle School were treated at the health office and others experienced eye pain after being exposed to chip dust. Several students complained of having a hard time breathing and an ambulance was called.

School health staff found no one had a severe allergic reaction or was injured as a result of the challenge.

The district says the student who brought the chips to school was disciplined, and any students who attempt the challenge at school in the future will also be disciplined.

Officials urged parents to speak with children about the dangers of the challenge, which they say is “unsafe and disruptive to student learning.”

The Minnesota Poison Control Center says they’ve received 39 calls about the challenge since the end of 2021. Most of the calls have involved children 16 and younger.