Shocking gum is a practical joke device that delivers a mild

electric shock Electrical injury is a physiological reaction caused by electric current passing through the body. The injury depends on the density of the current, tissue resistance and duration of contact. Very small currents may be imperceptible or produce ...

. The victim is offered what appears to be the last stick of

gum Gum may refer to: Types of gum * Adhesive * Bubble gum * Chewing gum * Gum (botany), sap or other resinous material associated with certain species of the plant kingdom ** Gum arabic, made from the sap of ''Acacia senegal'', an Old World tree s ...

from a box, and touching or pulling this triggers the shock. A few novelty companies have produced these 'Shocking gum' packages since the 1950s. The most popular (fictitious) brands of Shocking Gum are ''Fruit Juicy'' and ''JB''. Shocking gum is particularly favored by children and teenagers rather than adults. In 2005, the US Military reported that insurgents in Iraq were using shock chewing gum as a form of torture, forcing prisoners to bite down on the sticks. Another closely related prank device is the chewing gum bug, in which a fake plastic bug attached to a metal spring instead “snaps” the hand of the person who attempts to take the piece of gum.

References

Practical joke devices {{humor-stub

See also

References