The “new shapes of ecstasy” being given out at Halloween?

Rumours that parents should be on the lookout for ecstasy laced candy during the annual Halloween trick or treat custom are spreading across social media. Whilst many rumours purport to merely show a photo of the “new shapes of ecstasy” others go on to claim that criminals are handing them out to children during the October 31st tradition.

It should be noted before you read this article, that despite our forthcoming examination and subsequent debunking of this Internet rumour, it is good advice to check children’s Halloween treasures upon their return from their trick or treating excursions. Especially if those children are venturing to houses unknown.

Look for tampering of packaging, anything inedible, or remove anything that – for whatever reason – you deem suspicious.

With the obligatory cautionary disclaimer aside, there is an assertion being made here, and that is that criminals are handing out ecstasy laced candy treats to trick or treaters, and that the photo above depicts such treats.

The poison-laced Halloween treat story is one that actually spans many decades, at least to the sixties, and over the years there have been no shortage of rumours that sadists and lunatics have started distributing dangerous materials disguised as innocent candy. These rumours include razor blades hidden in taffy apples, needles handed out as Halloween candy and a variety of different poisons being injected into otherwise edible sweeties. The ecstasy variant we describe above is the latest in this exhaustive string of cautionary trick or treating tales.

Example submitted September 2015

If your kids get these for Halloween candy, they ARE NOT CANDY!!!
They are the new shapes of “Ecstasy” and can kill kids through overdoses!!!
So, check your kid’s candy and “When in doubt, Throw it out!!!”
Be safe and always keep the shiny side up!!!

Such rumours have led people to point at specific cases that claim Halloween candy had really been tainted with dangerous substances or materials and subsequently handed out to random trick or treating kids. However with any fully fledged urban legend, these specific cases fall flat upon further scrutiny, all failing to show an actual example where someone actually randomly handed out fatally poisonous treats to children, most of these cases being fuelled by the sort of tabloid journalism that loves to exploit these types of “candyman killer” stories. They no doubt increase circulation, after all.

Sponsored Content. Continued below...

A good round-up of these specific cases are published on the relevant Snopes.com page and instead of just regurgitating them here you can visit this link to see some specific stories and why they don’t really qualify as fitting the accusations made in the viral rumours.

Despite the isolated incidents outlined in the Snopes article, it is abundantly clear that this is a demonstration of the immense popularity of an urban legend greatly exaggerating the actual dangers faced when trick or treating. Based on police reports or media reports (that are based on reality) there are no cases of ecstasy being distributed randomly as Halloween candy, anywhere, and rumours that suggest otherwise are simply the latest incarnation of a legend that pre-dates even the Internet itself by decades.

But those isolated cases of tainted Halloween candy mentioned in the link above may provide sufficient justification for many parents to check that Halloween candy first before allowing their children to consume it, and for that we can offer no rebuttal.

Stay safe of course, but spreading misleading rumours across the Internet is another matter entirely. There is enough panic inducing nonsense online that may be we can give this one a miss.