Halloween Candy Scare: More Urban Myth Than Reality

A general scare in the 1980s and 1990s about the rampant tampering of Halloween candy proved to be more myth than fact, still, local medical centers are offering free X-raying of trick-or-treat goodies to alleviate parental fear.

The idea of dangerous Halloween candy seems to be traced back to 1964, when a Long Island, New York woman handed out animal poison and steel wool pads to teens she felt were too old for trick-or-treating. The story of poisoned Halloween treats came from a Texas father who was convicted of poisoned his son in 1974, placing the deadly substance in the boy’s powdered candy.

Despite research that has largely debunked most claims of tampered Halloween candy, many parents would rather be safe than sorry when it comes to the health of their children. Locally, Evergreen Hospital, both the Kirkland and Redmond locations, will X-ray Halloween candy for wary parents for free on Oct. 31.

“We want Halloween to be fun and safe, and we’re happy to provide x-raying of the candy for those who want the peace of mind,” said Gail Neubert, communications specialist for the hospital.