By Jack BeresfordShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberPeople across the United States are taking a closer look at their glass drinking straws after a woman was hospitalized for accidentally swallowing a shard of broken glass.
In a video posted to TikTok on November 23, a user posting under the handle @colorful__chaos told viewers “Don’t use glass straws.” According to the clip, the glass straw she had been drinking from chipped. She said she ended up swallowing a piece of it as a result.
The video has been watched 1.3 million times and led to a glut of clips featuring other users checking for cracks in their glass straws. At the time of writing, there are almost 10,000 TikTok videos featuring the hashtag #glassstraws and over 50,000 Instagram posts.
Piper Phillips, 25, from New York City, is among those to film a video featuring the hashtag. Hers is among the most alarming.
Phillips told Newsweek that up until recently, she was a “huge glass straw fan.”
“I’ve been using glass straws probably the past three years since I bought them in my first New York City apartment,” she said. “I make iced lattes at home using my nespresso and feel like they taste so much better out of a glass cup and glass straw.”
...Everything changed the day she picked up her camera and started recording a video for her Instagram @piperphillips and TikTok @pipercassidyphillips.
The clip saw Piper take a closer look at the glass straws in her cutlery drawer. The results left her visibly shocked.
As she took a closer look at two of the straws, Piper was speechless after seeing a large crack in one of them. On another day, it could so easily have gone unnoticed, with potentially dangerous results.
“The crack was pretty noticeable but when you’re in a rush in the mornings just trying to get your coffee, it’s one of those things you could easily miss if you’re not looking for it,” she said.
Piper, who is a full-time content creator and the host of @theselfemployedshow, said that while it was a shame to find the crack, it was “better to be safe than sorry.”
Despite the shock of her discovery, Piper is determined to see the bright side in what happened. “I just moved into a new apartment and we’re in the process of getting settled, still decorating the kitchen so it was good timing for a clean out,” she said.
However, despite the enjoyment glass straws provide her, Piper is sad to report that the current viral trend and her own experience with it have put her off them for the time being.
“I think I’m going to try switching to thick metal straws,” she said.
Request Reprint & LicensingSubmit CorrectionView Editorial & AI Guidelines
Add Newsweek as a preferred source on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.Recommended For You
On the InternetJonathan Bailey Fans Under Fire Over Comments About His Sexuality4 min read
On the InternetAlix Earle’s ‘DWTS’ Turn Has Everyone ‘In a Chokehold’—Including This Dog3 min read
NewsRFK Posts Thanksgiving Photo With Trump and Musk—but It’s Not What It Seems3 min read
On the InternetWoman’s Jaw-Dropping Christmas Tree Topper Goes Viral: ‘You Won’3 min read
LifeOne Question on X Was Viewed Over 700M Times—Then the Account Got Suspended3 min read
On the InternetMartha Stewart Is American Eagle’s New Sydney Sweeney—People Have Questions8 min readRelated Podcasts
Top Stories
NewsNetanyahu Requests Pardon from Israeli President After Trump Push: Report4 min read
NewsWinter Storm Warning as 8 Inches of Snow to Hit North and Midwest3 min read
NewsDonald Trump Has Taken Prince Harry’s Crown8 min read
NewsCould Germany Replace America’s Dominance in NATO?6 min read
NewsDoubts Raised Over Mark Kelly’s Illegal Orders Punishment3 min read
NewsFlight Tracker Shows Venezuela Airspace After Trump Orders Closure4 min readTrending
WeatherWinter Storm Warning As 13 Inches of Snow To Strike: ‘Extreme Caution’3 min read
Donald TrumpMap Shows Donald Trump’s Approval Rating in Each State After 10 Months4 min read
NcaaNick Saban Has Harsh Message for Ole Miss Amid Lane Kiffin Decision3 min read
AldiAldi Recall Update: Customers Told Discard Christmas Products ‘Immediately’3 min read
IllinoisProgram Giving $500 Monthly Checks to Americans Extended Into 20264 min readOpinion
OpinionRedefining Professional Degrees Will Hurt Everyday Americans | Opinion5 min read
OpinionAI Is Coming for Our Most Intimate Communications. Congress Must Act | Opinion5 min read
OpinionConventional Wisdom: The Thanksgiving Tragedies Edition3 min read
OpinionConventional Wisdom: The Anti-Thanksgiving Edition3 min read
OpinionHow to Remain Grounded and Thankful Amid the Chaos5 min read