The Cinnamon Challenge is almost a rite of passage for teenagers everywhere. There’s just something humorous about seeing your friends spew clouds of cinnamon from their mouths. The Cinnamon Challenge is a dare game that involves attempting to swallow a tablespoon of cinnamon without vomiting or inhaling the cinnamon. The challenge became popular in 2001, but has recently resurfaced after a controversy surrounding Carmen Ana Rodriguez, a high school principal who failed to punish students attempting the challenge during their school lunch hours. Rodriguez was put on temporary leave, but the controversy only sparked the interest of the challenge among online communities like Tumblr and MemeBase.

Many people who attempt the challenge upload a video of themselves taking the challenge to the popular video-sharing website YouTube. In January of 2012, the challenge became a trending topic on popular social networking site Twitter, and a website designed around the challenge was put online later that month.

            “I’ve never attempted The Cinnamon Challenge, and I never will,” says Ms. Diana Polley, a college professor and high school teacher.  “I do think it’s safe though. I’ve been a dietician for thirty years and I know it won’t harm or kill you.”

            Brian Ragsdale, a high school student at Pathways Middle College High School had a bad experience with the challenge, however.”I tried it once and coughed cinnamon out everywhere,” he said when asked about the challenge. “I do think it’s safe to do, however, because it’s just cinnamon.” A cinnamon challenge contest was held at Pathways to be put in the annual school yearbook in 2012.

Of course, there are possible dangers that come with swallowing any dry, powdery substance, such as choking and coughing, so anyone thinking of attempting The Cinnamon Challenge should practice extreme caution.