The truth about poisoned/boobytrapped Halloween candy

Every year there are fears about people handing out Halloween candy which has been poisoned or boobytrapped with razor blades, straight pins, and other non-yummy items. Some hospitals set up x-ray facilities so that you can x-ray your kid's candy. Some parents refuse to let their kids keep and eat any of the candy they collect.

Thing is, these fears have little to no factual basis. There have been a few cases of candy which was poisoned or boobytrapped, but they all turned out to be hoaxes, pranks, or attempts by the parents to murder their children and blame it on a stranger. 

(This makes sense if you think about it. The thing about handing out poisoned Halloween candy is that everyone knows where you live.)

Halloween does pose one significant risk to kids: children are four times likely to be hit by a car on Halloween, making it by far the deadliest day of the year for young pedestrians. If you want to keep your kids safe, be sure they are wearing reflective clothing, and that their masks aren't obstructing their vision. 

Image courtesy Flickr/keepingtime_ca