Brianna Rader felt compelled to speak out on the issue after learning that teens were taking part in an online craze, known as the 'Cinnamon Challenge'.
Having lost her son, Matthew, who accidentally ingested too much of the spice while exploring the kitchen, Brianna has appealed to the public to educate themselves, saying: "All these kids, they don't think about the fact it can hurt them."
Recalling the incident which claimed her son's life, the Kentucky mother said: "He was completely healthy, no problems. But then he climbed up onto a kitchen counter, got a hold of the cinnamon, and tried to swallow some. He started choking. It was like he was having a seizure and just collapsed."
Echoing Brianna's concerns is the director of the Central Ohio Poison Centre at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Henry Spiller, who said: "A small amount is great for baking or sprinkling on your hot chocolate, but as we’ve seen in these ‘cinnamon challenge’ videos, it’s very irritating."
Explaining the effects the spice can have on an individual's lungs when consumed in too high a quantity, he went on to say: "It can spasm to the point of closing up."
Further elaborating on the point is Dr. Steven Lipschultz of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine who also revealed the repercussions of ingesting large quantities of the spice.
In its simplest terms, the doctor explained the process, saying: "The cellulose doesn’t break down so when it gets into the lungs it sits there long term, and if it’s coated with this caustic cinnamon oil, that leads to chronic inflammation and eventually scarring of the lungs, something we call pulmonary fibrosis. Getting scarring in the lungs is equivalent to getting emphysema."
According to the American Association of Poison Control Centres, the number of cases which has seen individuals ingest too much of the spice, thereby leading to a medical emergency, has increased dramatically in recent years.
