What were people worried about in 1979? The exploding children urban legend

quote:

---

In 1979, the rumor that a child had exploded when he drank soda and ate Pop Rocks candy went wild.

---

quote:

---

The rumor became bad enough that the FDA set up a hot line for parents to call. General Foods bought full-page ads in newspapers, wrote letters to school principals and sent the inventor, Bill Mitchell, on the road to explain that Pop Rocks would not cause children to explode.

---

quote:

---

Pop Rocks had been released in 1975 then pulled from the market briefly in the 1980s.

---

quote:

---

Here is one of the letters written by Pop Rocks inventor Bill Mitchell and published in The Patriot on Feb. 8, 1979: My name is Bill Mitchell; I am a retired scientist for the General Foods Corporation of White Plains, New York. I am also an inventor. I have the distinction, if you want to call it that, of 'inventing' the new Pop Rocks Crackling Candy that is creating such a sensation around the country. I have brought a lot of fun into the world with Pop Rocks, I guess; but I am writing this letter because I want to assure you that the product is a safe one. Safety is one of my real concerns. I have seven children of my own, and 14 grandchildren. You have probably heard a lot of wild rumors about Pop Rocks. I can assure that we have investigated, and there is nothing to worry about. It seems to be the nature of this 'fun' product that it also attracts rumors. This has been true wherever the new product has been sold. I think that is because it has the image of an exciting and mysterious product that causes those funny little sensations when you put a tiny bit on your tongue. The expression on people's faces when they do this for the first time is fun to watch, as you know. Pop Rocks is a candy. Its ingredients are the usual ones and chosen from those approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration in Washington, D.C. The FDA has reviewed Pop Rocks and found it 'safe' and acceptable. The carbonated fizz in the candy, that causes the funny tingling, is equal to less than one-tenth the amount in a can of soda pop. Anyway, I just wanted to say to you that this product is a safe and fun product. If you'd like to write to me, just drop me a line to:

---