Ohio boy, 13, dies after attempting TikTok’s ‘Benadryl Challenge’

An Ohio teen died after taking part in a viral TikTok challenge, his family said.

Jacob, 13, was attempting to copy a trend that challenges social media users to take dangerous amounts of the over-the-counter drug Benadryl in order to induce hallucinations.

His attempt ended up costing his life.

“Jacob was with his friends at his home and he took a bunch of Benadryl trying to be cool in front of his friends thinking this terrible nightmare wasn’t going to happen,” his aunt, Ashely Dean, wrote on a GoFundMe page late last week.

The active ingredient in Benadryl is the antihistamine diphenhydramine, which is used for relief from symptoms related to hay fever, upper respiratory allergy or the common cold. Ingesting too much Benadryl can lead to an irregular heart rate, hallucinations, seizures and trouble urinating.

The recommended dosage for users ages 12 and up is one to two tablets every four to six hours, according to the manufacturer Johnson & Johnson. The so-called “Benadryl Challenge” urges people to take 12 to 14 pills.

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Jacob took more than that, the teen’s family told local television station WFSB-TV.

“They kind of just all come at one time and it was too much for his body,” his father, Justin Stevens, said.

The boy, described by his family as a “well-mannered, funny loving kid,” started seizing after he attempted the challenge. He was rushed to a hospital and died late last week after being on a ventilator for six days.

His family is now hoping their tragedy will serve as a wake-up call for other parents.

“I’m going to do anything I can to make sure another child doesn’t go through it,” the boy’s grandmother, Dianna Stevens, told WSYX-TV on Saturday.

His father has contacted Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and is pushing local lawmakers to put an age restriction on buying medications like Benadryl.

“It’s my life goal now to make that happen. I’ll go at it until the day I die,” he said.