this post was submitted on 02 Nov 2025
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I can't believe they still push this fear narrative myth about "tainted" Halloween candy. It's the Satanic Panic that refuses to die. (youtu.be)
submitted 2 days ago by IndridCold@lemmy.ca to c/lemmyshitpost@lemmy.world
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[–] Denjin@feddit.uk 35 points 2 days ago (3 children)

https://www.joelbest.net/halloween-sadism

There hasn't been a single proven case of "Halloween Sadism" that resulted in anything other than extremely minor injuries. Every other example given in press or other media are either hoaxes or result in nothing more than a slightly upset stomach.

There's one notable exception which is the case of Ronald Clark O'Brien who was a piece of shit who murdered his own son and attempted to murder 5 other children to claim the life insurance money.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Clark_O%27Bryan

You're vastly more likely to die at Halloween in a road traffic collision (the worst day of the year for children being hit by cars) than anyone putting poison in your sweets.

[–] AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world 1 points 20 hours ago

You might die later from clogged arteries though. They're sneaky that way.

[–] Hazzard@lemmy.zip 14 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It's even more surprising given the common-ness of "copycats" with mass murders and such. Even with all this constant hype and fear around the idea every year, practically marketing it, seemingly nobody has ever bit and done it.

[–] OpenStars@discuss.online 9 points 2 days ago

Possibly either a respect for Halloween held by all those murderers, or officials covering up the actual date when things happened, the former seeming more likely.

Hrm... so Halloween is wholesome? :-P

img

[–] ShamanRonin@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I went to school with a guy who’s father was one of the cops that investigated this in Texas. This is indeed the progenitor of Halloween panic.

[–] Denjin@feddit.uk 10 points 2 days ago

Ah but it isn't the progenitor at all. He only thought he'd get away with it, because everyone knows crazy people poison the halloween candy. He believed the police wouldn't even investigate because it's so common.

The media frenzy each year is in fact directly responsible for the murder.

[–] slothrop@lemmy.ca 27 points 2 days ago (1 children)

When I was a kid in the 60s, we used to get so many razor blades in our apples, my dad didn't ever have to buy them, and he bought extra houses instead.
Good old days.

[–] ivanafterall@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago

Growing up before woke, you just got used to the occasional razor or research chemical in your candy. It toughened us up.

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago

That's why you slip acid in the raisins. That way the parents get high not the kids

[–] Dyskolos@lemmy.zip 6 points 2 days ago

The US is based on fear. Fear of health, fear of loan, fear of god, fear of guns, fear of "that other party", fear of candy....

[–] RagnarokOnline@programming.dev 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

If someone gives me an apple with a razor blade in it, I ain’t ever gonna know cuz I ain’t eating an apple from a stranger.

[–] TheLowestStone@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago

You would definitely notice the cut in skin with a cursory examination. I think sewing needles would be more effective.

[–] Zachariah@lemmy.world 11 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Luckily we were safe. No six seven in our candy this year.

[–] OpenStars@discuss.online 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Are you sure? Did you try counting the number of pieces of candy? I bet you got at least 6 to 7 pieces somewhere in there...

[–] waterore@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

This candy was fucked with! If only I could remember the houses I took my kids to! Oh well, I guess we'll never know who did this.

[–] Aeao@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago

They can’t exactly go door to door and have a brief conversation with everyone. That would take most of an evening!

Joking of course.

[–] Melvin_Ferd@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Problem I worry is that because both media and all of you create so much attention to this issue, it's likely to happen at some point

[–] moakley@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

They've been saying it on the national news for 40+ years as though it's true, but yeah one of the hundred and fifteen people who read this on Lemmy are definitely going to be the first ones to actually do it.

🙄

[–] IndridCold@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

THOUGHTCRIME!

Just discussing this hoax that has never happened means it MIGHT happen. You're all accomplices. Don't fight. Don't run. Turn yourself in. Do it now. Don't make matters worse for yourself.

[–] Melvin_Ferd@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago (1 children)

What a stupid fucking comment. You legit wrote that out lol

[–] IndridCold@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Sorry. I read your comment and I thought it was idiot comment day.

[–] Melvin_Ferd@lemmy.world 0 points 20 hours ago

No excuse

[–] sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

My dad just sent me a nextdoor post claiming to be from the police saying some kids found sewing needles in gummy bears... How to know if it is a hoax?

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

The police would not be communicating via next door they'd be putting out official communication via normal methods of something like this.

Not assuming you believe it, but it's a good line of discussion to encourage critical social media use for your parents

[–] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Quick google search reveals multiple cases of items being inserted into Halloween candy. Usually needles. Theere were a couple this year in the US. They are isolated incidents, though.

[–] Denjin@feddit.uk 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

As I posted in another comment, there are simply no proven examples where something was actually poisoned or inserted into candies on Halloween.

The latest examples that appear to be coming out of kentucky are based on 2 pictures that both look suspiciously staged, there will almost certainly be a small, quiet story in only the local media (if at all) explaining that the images were staged or a hoax and the police won't be investigating any further.

[–] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Proven? I’m not some conspiracy nut, but there are several reports of tampered candy this year. I imagine some are fake and from attention seekers, but a couple seem legit. The general impossibility of people inspecting every candy before eating would make pre-discovery proof all but impossible.

[–] Denjin@feddit.uk 5 points 2 days ago

There are reports each and every year, and yet no one ever gets injured and no one ever gets prosecuted. But you also never hear the story about it being a hoax because that isn't newsworthy.

[–] IndridCold@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 day ago

I don't usually call for a cite, but I'll have to ask for a cite on this.

Halloween Sadism is the lie that never dies. The very few cases we have of it is done by the family of the child. It's targeted not random.