Buzz
Halloween has strayed far from its traditional origins, but that’s somewhat acceptable. Our modern societal values have allowed us to exploit the holiday, emphasizing the most beloved aspect—the overwhelming indulgence in candy. There’s something uniquely satisfying about going door-to-door, collecting sweets, and returning home with a pillowcase or basket overflowing with sugary delights. And, of course, everyone knows there’s an unspoken ranking system for Halloween candy.
At the top are the premium treats: King Size Snickers, Twizzler Pull n’ Peels, and AirHeads. Then there are the candies you’re willing to barter, like a Three Musketeers Bar or a Milky Way. And let’s not forget the candies you pawn off on your younger sibling, who hasn’t yet learned to distinguish between a delectable Reese’s peanut butter cup and a less exciting Mounds bar.
However, there’s also the candy that raises parental suspicion. While we’d prefer to enjoy our treats without worrying about tampering, the reality is that some individuals take pleasure in ruining the fun. Here’s a list of the top 10 most unsettling things people have done to children’s Halloween candy.
10. Milk Dud Bullets
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/march-30-2019-minneapolis-mn-shopper-1354301834
Milk Duds are already frustrating when they cling stubbornly to your teeth, but stumbling upon bullets instead of candy takes the discomfort to a whole new level.
In 2014, an Ohio mother made a shocking discovery when she found bullets inside her 4-year-old son’s Milk Duds boxes. The situation became even more alarming because the candy had been distributed during a Trick-or-Treat event at his preschool. These were no ordinary duds—they were three live .22 caliber rounds.
While the school had no official statement for the press, they clarified that they were not responsible for the bullet-filled candy. Parents had contributed the treats from home, suggesting this was either a disturbing prank or a menacing warning.
Regardless of the intent, this was no accident.
9. Something to Snicker About
As states gradually legalize marijuana for recreational purposes, people once had to devise ingenious methods to move drugs from sellers to buyers. A dealer from Hercules, California, came up with a brilliant scheme: disguising the substance inside Snickers candy bar wrappers.
Great idea!
However, if you’re trying to mail five ounces of marijuana and end up messing up the address and postage, your clever plan can quickly fall apart. While this might have been unintentional, the sudden appearance of drugs in an edible form is undeniably unsettling.
The letter was abandoned at the post office, prompting a worker to distribute the Snickers bars to children. This is how four marijuana-laced Snickers bars found their way into a Trick-or-Treat bag.
Police observed that the Snickers bars were resealed so meticulously that they could easily pass as genuine candy. However, upon opening the wrapper, one would find marijuana buds tightly packed in a plastic bag. It certainly didn’t have the aroma of chocolate.
The post office employee faced no charges for inadvertently distributing drugs to minors.
8. Sticking it to Your Cheek
In another chilling 2014 Halloween incident, a young boy from Spokane, Washington, discovered a rusty nail in his Halloween candy. This wasn’t a result of disassembling his treats—Halloween candy isn’t meant to be a DIY project.
He was simply enjoying his candy.
He accidentally bit down on the nail, which punctured his cheek. Thankfully, he escaped serious injury and avoided tetanus. Still, the experience would likely make anyone wary of biting into candy afterward.
The mother of the boy’s friend decided to inspect the rest of his Trick-or-Treat haul and uncovered more metal objects hidden inside. These included nails, staples, and what appeared to be components from a watch.
7. Arsenic and Old Laced Halloween Candy
Halloween is primarily for children, maybe even high schoolers, but definitely not adults. When we spot someone who seems too old to be trick-or-treating, we can’t help but judge them harshly. How could they take candy meant for kids?
However, most of us don’t act on that judgment—unless you’re Helen Pfeil.
Helen Pfeil spent the day handing out candy to young children, but when she noticed teenagers, particularly those aged 14 to 16, she decided to play a “practical joke” that went too far.
Pfeil wrapped up a dog biscuit, steel wool, and ant poison to resemble a candy bar and distributed it to 12 teenagers. Five of these dangerous “treats” were found that same night.
When questioned by the police, she insisted it was meant as a harmless joke, with no ill intent. However, the judge ordered her to undergo a psychological evaluation at a hospital. He expressed disbelief that anyone in their right mind would poison children as a prank.
6. The Parent Tax on Halloween Backfires
Your Halloween candy isn’t truly yours until your parents have inspected it. That’s just the way it works. They dig through, pick out the best pieces, and claim them as their parental tax. While it might seem unfair, we’d never wish harm upon them.
But perhaps this is karma at work?
In Salinas, California, in 2013, a mother sampled some of her daughter’s Trick-or-Treat candy and began experiencing strange symptoms. It began with anxiety, then shifted to euphoria. After feeling unwell, she examined the candy wrapper and noticed a small, unusual hole in it.
She rushed to the hospital, where doctors informed her she was experiencing the effects of LSD.
Fortunately, the woman suffered no lasting effects from the incident, but had it been her daughter, the outcome could have been far worse. The takeaway? Always let your parents collect their Halloween candy tax—they also serve as your safety testers.
5. Mystery Pills
Following a festive Halloween in Lloydminster, Canada, two children discovered pills in their candy. One child found an entire blister pack of pills, while the other bit into a Snickers bar and found a single pill. Although the type of pill wasn’t specified, the markings “APO” suggested it was a prescription medication. Upon inspecting the Snickers wrapper, it was clear that someone had tampered with it.
4. Nightmare Ingredients
Halloween candy may taste delicious, but the ingredients used to make it are far from appealing. We’re not referring to caramel, chocolate, or even high fructose corn syrup—this is about much more alarming components.
If you were to follow a recipe for your favorite Halloween candy, it might include TBHQ, a preservative. TBHQ, or Tertiary butylhydroquinone, is a byproduct of butane—essentially lighter fluid.
While TBHQ’s antioxidant properties are excellent for preventing discoloration in iron-containing candies, it has been linked to behavioral issues and cancer in humans. It preserves your food but not your health.
The FDA does regulate TBHQ to ensure it doesn’t exceed dangerous levels in our food. However, in my opinion, it shouldn’t be there at all.
3. The Candy Man
While Dr. Shyne may have initiated the trend of tampering with Halloween candy, the next individual took the fear of dangerous treats to a horrifying level.
On October 31, 1974, Ronald O’Bryan poisoned Pixie sticks with cyanide and gave them to his five children. Tragically, only his eight-year-old son, Timothy, consumed the lethal candy.
Timothy passed away shortly after.
No one witnessed Ronald tampering with the candy. However, investigators discovered he had recently purchased life insurance policies for his children, leading to a crucial breakthrough. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to death by lethal injection, which was carried out in 1984.
2. This Candy Will Get You Going
William V. Shyne, a reserved dentist from Fremont, California, distributed 450 pieces of candy to Trick-or-Treaters on Halloween in 1959. Unbeknownst to the children, the heart-shaped candies were actually candy-coated laxatives. His motives remain unclear, but if his goal was to make the kids sick, he certainly succeeded.
Thirty children became ill, and parents traced the candy back to 4844 Norris Road, where Shyne lived. When Shyne learned the police were searching for him, he fled town. His friend Hazel Engelby, who had helped distribute the candy, was arrested in his place.
Shyne eventually surrendered on November 11. He was charged with 'unlawful dispensing of drugs' and 'outrage of public decency.' While the drug charges were dropped and Engelby was released, Shyne was fined $500 and sentenced to six months in jail.
A few years later, Shyne was arrested for insurance fraud and served two months in county jail. He passed away in 2007, but his legacy of tampering with Halloween candy continues to unsettle us to this day.
1. Meth-Coated Candy
In 2018, a couple reported feeling unwell after eating some of their children’s Halloween candy. The Sour Patch Kids appeared normal until the package was opened, but it was clear something was wrong. Tests revealed the candy was coated with meth. Fortunately, their children didn’t consume any of it.
