Do the Stanley Cup tumblers have lead? The truth about the TikTok viral conspiracy theory
Stanley Cups took the internet by storm, and many flocked to buy them. Now the internet is going the other way, claiming that the tumblers contain lead.
Stanley Cups became a craze the past couple of years, with TikTok fueling the madness that pushed people to shoplift the tumblers and elbow each other in their attempt to procure limited-edition colors. Employees at Target, where the cups are available for sale, were reportedly fired after they purchased some for themselves.
The hybrid drinking cup/water bottle comes in various colors, and the 40-ounce insulated Quencher cups became popular among millennials and Gen Z consumers after influencers boasted of their Stanley Cup hauls on social media. The tumblers have a lid, a big straw, and a giant handle which makes them easy to lug around.
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But in the past year, social media turned on the tumblers, with multiple TikTok uploads warning users that Stanley Cups contain lead.
Videos showed people testing the cups with a LeadCheck swab indicating that there was a presence of the heavy metal that can be toxic to humans. Due to the immense popularity of the tumblers, the videos have gone viral.
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Do the Stanley Cup tumblers have lead? The truth about the TikTok viral conspiracy theory
In response to the information zooming around the internet, makers of the Stanley Cup have come out with a statement issued to WCNC Charlotte to quash the conspiracy theories. A brand representative said their products do not contain any lead.
“Please rest assured that no lead is present on the surface of any Stanley product that comes in contact with you or the contents of your container,” according to the statement.
“Every Stanley product meets all U.S. regulatory requirements, including California Proposition 65, which requires businesses to provide warnings to Californians about heavy metal and chemical exposure,” it added.
An early report by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration says that such tests for lead are indeed accurate, but adds that some factors can affect the test results. It says a certified laboratory can more thoroughly and correctly determine the presence of the metal.