Social Media Helping Teens Get High Off Burt's Bees Lip Balm: 'Beezin' Trend Can Cause Pink Eye-Like Symptoms [VIDEO]
Kids do the darndest things to get high. The latest trend is called "Beezin"; you might want to hide your lip balm, parents.
Apparently, teens are putting Burt's Bees lip balm onto their eyelids. The tingly feeling reportedly makes "users" feel good while high or drunk. Some use it to add something extra to their intoxication, and others say it helps them be alert, NorthWestOhio.com reports.
"It's the peppermint oil that's causing the burning sensation, and I suppose some people think that is kind of funny," Dr. Brett Cauthen, who examined Burt's Bees lip balm's ingredients, told Oklahoma CIty's Fox 25.
The downside (besides the absurdity and waste of perfectly good lip balm) is that it puts the Beezin crowd at risk for problems reminiscent of pink eye.
"The peppermint oil in the lip balm is a very strong irritant and can cause inflammation in the eye redness of the eye swelling," Dr. Cauthen explained.
Although Burt's Bees is known for being a natural product, Dr. Cauthen warns that using a product for something other than what it is intended for is always dangerous.
"Our big message is natural does not equate with safety," he said.
Alas, the trend is spreading, however. You can find teens discussing Beezin on Twitter, Facebook and even in incriminating YouTube videos.
"how are articles just now coming out about beezin? i been beezin since '13," @alextylerc said via Twitter.
"If you ain't beezin are you even k," @JTroy101 tweeted.
"...been beezin since 2012 tho.....," @mneyor said.
This type of social media talk could help the trend grow even more.
"Kids look for trends, and they find it on Facebook and YouTube, and they get into that stuff and start experimenting," said Truman Claytor, Unison Behavioral Health alcohol and drug therapist.
Check out a video loving this bizarre trend for yourself below:
Follow Scharon Harding on Twitter: @SH____4.