Beezin: Teens Put Burt's Bees Lip Balm On Their Eyelids To Get High
ByTeenagers have found another way to get high using a branded lip balm, according to Internet reports.
"Beezin," an alternative to sniffing glue or drinking cough syrup, is the act of applying Burt's Bees peppermint flavored lip balm on the eyelids. This creates a tingly and stinging sensation, and gives them a natural high, Counsel and Heal reported.
"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 said according to FOX 25 KOKH-TV in Oklahoma City. "The peppermint oil in the lip balm is a very strong irritant and can cause inflammation in the eye, redness of the eye, swelling."
When placed directly on the eyelids, the product reportedly affects users in a similar way as being high or drunk. Other reports state that beezin helps them stay awake and alert, Counsel and Heal reported.
According to Tech Times, some users believe that beezin is harmless because the product is all-natural. However, while it claims to be 100 percent natural, "using it for purposes other than its intended purpose could lead to serious medical conditions."
Doctors warn that natural is not always equal to safety.
"Cold sores are caused by the herpes virus. If you use the lip balm on the cold sore and your friend borrows the lip balm, puts it on their eyelid, the herpes virus could be transmitted from the lip balm to a person's eye, and that person could go blind," medical toxicologist Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor told WFSB News.
A representative for the manufacturer of Burt's Bees lip balm has stated that their product is meant for lips and should not be used elsewhere.
"There are lots of natural things that probably shouldn't go in eyes - dirt, twigs, leaves, food - and our lip balm. Burt's Bees tests all of its products, including the Beeswax Lip Balm, to ensure they are safe for their intended use," the representative wrote to the New York Daily News. "We recommend that people use our products as directed and we will make every effort to ensure that the intended use of our lip balm is clearly communicated."
However, the company has not addressed whether this latest trend is a farce.