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A student who bought the gum online shared it with other students during recess at Dexter Park School in Orange on Tuesday, April 4, Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Teahan-Zielinski reports.
"The product contained levels of pepper, which, when some students ingested it, caused digestive issues, including burning in the mouth and esophagus," she said.
"Additionally, students who accepted the product but did not ingest it suffered immediate skin reactions, including eye irritation, if they rubbed their eyes after touching it."
First responders were called to the scene and brought multiple students to Athol and Heywood Hospital in Gardner for treatment, the Orange Fire Department said in a Facebook post.
Due to the number of students transported, the situation was labelled as a Mass Casualty Incident, the department added. Some students were brought to the hospital by their parents.
"The situation is still an active investigation with safety personnel as well as the school's own investigation," Teahan-Zielinski added. "Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken upon the completion of the investigation."
Southborough Police later specified that the gum is part of a TikTok challenge. The gum, which can be purchased on Amazon, contained the same active ingredient as police pepper spray, the department said on Facebook.
"Police level pepper spray is normally rated to one to two million Scoville heat units. This is a way to measure the amount of heat an individual feels when they come into contact," SPD wrote.
"This gum is rated at 16 million Scoville Heat Units," the department continued. "Anyone found to have used the gum should be treated for extensive exposure to oleoresin capsicum."
Anyone who ingests the gum should rinse their mouth with water, swish it around and spit it out, according to SPD. In some cases, people may vomit and have difficulty breathing, thus resulting in hospitalization.
Superintendent Teahan-Zielinski also encouraged parents to speak with their children about bringing candy to school as well as accepting other prohibited items from their classmates.
"It is difficult for students to understand that items can often contain ingredients others are allergic to or created to cause physical distress," Teahan-Zielinski concluded.
No other information was released.
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