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Teen’s death after eating a single chip highlights risks of ultra-spicy foods (arstechnica.com)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Harris Wolobah, a healthy 14-year-old from Worcester, Massachusetts, tragically died last Friday, hours after eating a single ultra-spicy tortilla chip seasoned with two of the hottest peppers in the world.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago (16 children)

I thought this was might just grieving parents blaming something coincidental, until reading this article. I didn't know that there are other cases of the spiciness of these new peppers seem to be causing problems for some people. Still no clear evidence, but it's possible there's something.

"These ultraspicy peppers may either contain a unique vasoactive substance, or there is a dose-related effect of capsaicin concentration that can trigger RCVS," the doctors concluded. "Further research in this area is needed to determine the exact pathophysiology of this phenomenon. This case provides further evidence that ingestion of hot peppers may lead to serious consequences and that further research is needed to assess their safety."

Emphasis mine.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (6 children)

That emphasized line is typical when someone wants to ban something but doesn't have any proof that it's actually dangerous. See the US government and conservative's reasoning for keeping marijuana banned or the federal government banning vaping (while allowing cigarette sales to continue). In both cases the weak justification for the bans are "we don't like this stuff and there's not enough research proving it's safe!" Meanwhile they try to hamstring anyone who wants to conduct a study unless the objective of the study is to bolster the ban.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

And guns are still legal after countless school shootings, so don't hold your breath.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

The right to spice isn't enshrined in the Constitution. It should be, maybe. The Spice Must Flow.

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