A few homegrown peppers brought to school by an ambitious eighth-grader led to a bit of excitement — and some gastrointestinal distress — at Glenwood School just two days into the new school year.
Lane Tackitt grew Carolina Reapers and ghost peppers over the summer. Proud of his harvest, he brought three Carolina Reapers and five ghost peppers to school on Aug. 26. Although Glenwood Superintendent Lucas Brown cautioned him to “not be silly or get anyone sick,” Tackitt shared small pepper pieces with a few close friends, who then broke off still smaller pieces to pass around.
Tackitt estimates roughly 20 classmates ended up sampling the harvest.
It didn't take long for the capsaicin to kick in. One friend had to go home early due to a “bad stomach issue.” Tackitt wasn’t formally disciplined by school administration, but he is no longer allowed to bring his hot peppers to campus.
Just how hot are these peppers? Until about three years ago Carolina Reaper held the Guinness World Record for the world's hottest pepper. Its heat is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU), which quantify capsaicin content — the chemical compound that triggers burning sensations, watering eyes, sweating and digestive distress.
In small doses, eating a Carolina Reaper is generally safe for teens and adults without underlying health conditions, though temporary, intense discomfort should be expected.
For comparison, law enforcement grade pepper spray measures between 500,000 and 2 million SHU. Carolina Reapers rank between 1.5 million and 2.5 million SHU, while ghost peppers range from 750,000 to 1.5 million SHU. By contrast, cayenne peppers measure a modest 25,000 to 50,000 SHU, and standard jalapenos register near the bottom at 2,500 to 10,000 SHU.
While the Carolina Reaper reigned supreme for years, pepper breeder Ed Currie recently surpassed his own creation with "Pepper X," which tops the scale at roughly 2.69 million SHU.
This is Tackitt's second season growing high-heat produce. He says he likes hot foods himself and has a collection of hot sauces. He uses the ghost peppers to make his own custom sauces and plans to dehydrate his Carolina Reapers into ground powder. His pepper plants should keep producing until the first autumn frost, he added.
Tackitt also grows jalapenos, cucumbers, potatoes and tomatoes in a good-size garden at his home off of south Highway 17, picking up growing tips from his grandfather Kenny Tackitt, owner of Outback Greenhouse in Alton.
Following the fiery episode at school, Lane’s mother Crystal Thayer issued a public apology on Facebook to parents of the children who tried the peppers.
“Please know that I did not send him to school with a portable chemical weapon,” Thayer wrote. “He just grew peppers, made some questionable decisions, and apparently found himself running a very poorly regulated pepper tasting business. We will be having a little chat with our son about bringing his garden produce to school from now on. Again, I am SO sorry. And to the kids who tried them... may your tongues and stomachs recover quickly.”
