TikTok Tranquilizer Challenge: What Parents & Educators Need to Know
., start learning from this page to earn points towards a Starbucks gift card!*
Hi, I'm Josh, the founder of SmartSocial.com.
Keep reading, and soon you'll get a chance to share your thoughts and earn points for a reward!
TikTok Tranquilizer Challenge: What Parents & Educators Need to Know
., start learning from this page to earn points towards a Starbucks gift card!*
Hello, I'm Josh, the founder of SmartSocial.com.
Don't leave this page until you fill out our feedback form that will appear after you learn from the resources...
The Tranquilizer Challenge is a social media challenge that has been gaining traction in Mexico and on TikTok and may soon be spreading to the United States. This challenge is dangerous and students should not be participating in it.
Parent & educator video lesson
(This parent and educator video is best to be shown to adults)
What is the Tranquilizer Challenge?
- The Tranquilizer Challenge is a viral video challenge circulating on social media, especially Tiktok, where groups of students take tranquilizers and see who can stay awake the longest
- Challengers record themselves and others participating and post the video to social media accounts with the hashtag #tranquilizerchallenge
- The slogan for the challenge is, “The last one to fall asleep, wins.”
Top concerns of the Tranquilizer Challenge
- Students participating in this challenge are taking prescription medications, such as clonazepam, which can cause potentially lethal side effects
- Clonazepam is a drug used to treat panic attacks, anxiety, and seizures and a common side effect is drowsiness
- Students may feel peer pressure to participate in this challenge. Taking prescription medication that has not been prescribed to a student by a doctor is extremely dangerous for teens
- Taking high quantities of medicine against the label’s instruction is dangerous for anyone
What can parents & educators do?
- Above all, contact 911 or your local poison control if you think someone has taken medication
- Get involved and talk with your student about peer pressure on social media. Also, discuss ways to report or block bullying if they feel pressured to partake in dangerous challenges
- Remind students that users don’t always share their full experiences in their social media posts. For instance, others have likely not shared their negative side effects of the challenge
- Explain the medical consequences of taking any medication or drugs
The Tranquilizer Challenge in the news
Mexican authorities have warned parents against the imminent dangers of a TikTok challenge that has left school students intoxicated after taking a controlled medication. - Times Now News
Authorities warned that taking such drugs without medical supervision could cause symptoms like drowsiness, nausea, difficulty with thought or memory, or more severe issues like trouble breathing. - CBS News
Conclusion
The Tranquilizer Challenge seems to be the latest in a never ending line of social media challenges. Students may be tempted to try this challenge because of curiosity or peer pressure. It’s essential for parents and adults to discuss the potential dangers of these kinds of challenges with students and help them find a safer social media challenge to participate in instead.
More resources for parents, students, & educators
To learn more about other social media challenges that students may be exposed to, view our resource: Social Media Challenges: What Students, Parents, & Educators Need to Know
For a full list of social media challenges, review the list of Dangerous Social Media Challenges
Become a member or log in to learn more on this topic
Únase a nuestros próximos eventos de preguntas y respuestas para padres en vivo (y gane una tarjeta de regalo de Starbucks de $5) *
Here are some of the latest resources at SmartSocial.com
Become a Very Informed Parent (VIP) to get our social media suggestions in your email every Tuesday & Thursday.
Hello, I'm Josh, the founder of SmartSocial.com. Protect your family by taking my 1 minute quiz
This quiz will help you understand how safe your family is
Schools & Districts: Partner with us to protect your community online
Our remote presentations (and website) teach over a million students each year how to shine online. We teach students how their accounts can be used to create a portfolio of positive accomplishments that impress colleges and employers.
Join Our Smart Social Podcast
each week on iTunes
With over 240 episodes, Josh Ochs interviews psychologists, therapists, counselors, teachers, and parents while showing you how to navigate social media to someday shine online.
Listen on: