A four-year-old girl, Marnie Moore, was left unconscious after drinking a slushy at a children’s party. She suffered from glycerol toxicity, a dangerous drop in blood sugar caused by the sweetener in slushies. While older children can process glycerol, younger children may experience severe reactions, including hypoglycemia, which can lead to seizures or coma. Marnie’s mother rushed her to the hospital, where doctors confirmed the cause. Marnie was unconscious for 25 minutes and later vomited due to the toxicity.

Experts warn that glycerol intoxication may be an unintended result of the sugar tax, as slushies now use glycerol instead of sugar to prevent freezing. Other children, like four-year-old Albie Green and three-year-old Angus Anderson, have also had similar life-threatening reactions. Following Marnie’s ordeal, her mother advocates for a ban on slushies for children under 12.