8 Unfortunate Vintage Candy Wrappers

8 Unfortunate Vintage Candy Wrappers

According to a recent article on Smithsonian.com, the notion that poison candy is routinely distributed to unsuspecting children on Halloween is a myth perpetrated by advice columnists Dear Abby and Ann Landers in the 1980s and ’90s. But historically, candy meant for young consumers has sported poisonous-sounding, WTF wrappers and packages that most self-respecting 2013 parents would be dismayed to see dumped out of their children’s trick-or-treat bags.

[CandyWrapperMuseum.com, Collecting Candy.com, CandyWrapperArchive.com, and Pez.com.]


By themselves, these brand names are reasonably innocuous, but together?

8 Unfortunate Vintage Candy Wrappers


For children who are trying to kick the candy habit, I suppose.

8 Unfortunate Vintage Candy Wrappers


Another product whose brand has fun, fun, fun with drug addiction.

8 Unfortunate Vintage Candy Wrappers


Tough to know where to start with this one…

8 Unfortunate Vintage Candy Wrappers


At least the copy writer of this candy’s packaging had the good sense to put the word “flavour” below the word “chocolate” rather than “babies.”

8 Unfortunate Vintage Candy Wrappers


A candy classic from back in the days when nuclear weapons were cool.

8 Unfortunate Vintage Candy Wrappers


Candy disguised as a toxic cleaning product. What could possibly go wrong?

8 Unfortunate Vintage Candy Wrappers


Saving the best for last, in 1965, Pez made a replica of James Bond’s Walther PPK handgun for a dispenser. Yes, children were encouraged to put the pistol in their mouths and pull the trigger.

8 Unfortunate Vintage Candy Wrappers


This article has been excerpted with permission from Collectors Weekly. To read in its entirety, head here.


The Cheapest NBN 50 Plans

It’s the most popular NBN speed in Australia for a reason. Here are the cheapest plans available.

At Gizmodo, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.