Saskatoon stays clear of laundry detergent pod eating

So far, no one has reported any Saskatoon students taking part in a strange fad that recently surfaced online.

Videos of people eating dissolvable Tide pods filled with laundry detergent have been circulating on the internet. The city’s two major school divisions said they are not aware of any local instances, but they are aware of the situation and monitoring it.

Health Officials in Canada and the U.S. have been warning against consumption of the pods after people started eating them, recording their reactions and posting the videos online.

In a statement issued on Friday, Dr. Simon Kapaj, Medical Health Officer with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), said the fad is “concerning.”

“Tide Pods contain cleaning chemicals which can cause nausea, vomiting, coughing and choking, breathing troubles and burn an individual’s throat if ingested,” she said.

Earlier this month, Health Canada issued a message on its Twitter account asking if people knew the “the health risks of eating laundry pods,” linking to information about the pods on its website.

Health Canada warned against consumption of the pods again in a statement issued to The Canadian Press on Thursday.

As of Jan. 18, health authority staff said they had not received any reports of people presenting to emergency rooms as a result of laundry pod consumption in Saskatoon or Regina.

Kapaj said the SHA encourages parents to speak with kids about the dangers of “participating in any activity where a strong cleaning product, like a Tide Pod, is put in the mouth.”

Parents should contact 911 or poison control at 1-866454-1212 immediately if they think their child has consumed a pod.