Reusable straws took off as more people started paying attention to waste and sustainability. The classic plastic straw gave way to paper, metal, silicone, bamboo, and glass. The options felt endless, and for many, a glass straw seemed like the cleanest and safest choice. But one California woman says that assumption nearly landed her in surgery.
TikTok creator @colorful__chaos is now urging viewers to stay away from glass straws altogether after a piece of one broke off while she was drinking water and ended up inside her body. Her warning video, filmed from a hospital bed, has racked up more than 28.7 million views.
“Don’t use glass straws,” she says at the start of the clip. “It’s not worth it.”
Woman Has Important PSA About Glass Straws
In the video, she explains that she had been drinking water like normal when something suddenly felt off. “I was drinking my water with a glass straw and I swallowed something,” she says. “And I was like, what was that?”
She looks at the straw and immediately sees the problem. A large shard is missing from the tip. “There’s a piece about that big gone,” she says, holding her fingers about two inches apart.
At first, she tries to stay calm. “I kind of freaked out a little bit,” she says, then explains why she didn’t rush to the hospital right away. “I didn’t feel anything, so I thought maybe it was fine.”
Two hours later, that feeling changes fast. “I burped really big and my mouth had blood in it,” she says. That’s when she heads straight to the emergency room.
Once there, she says staff initially doesn’t treat it like an emergency. “At first I really don’t think that they’re taking me seriously,” she says. “They were not trying to get me back quickly.”
That changes when doctors review her case more closely. “The doctor talked to the gastro, and he said to expedite a CAT scan immediately,” she says. The imaging shows a piece of glass sitting in her stomach.
Doctors rush her in for an emergency procedure. “They put me to sleep and put the tube down my throat to try to get it,” she says. But by the time they begin the procedure, the shard has already moved.
“By the time they got me into the room, it had already left my stomach,” she says. “So I’ve got a piece of glass floating around in my intestines.”
Doctors sent her home with instructions to closely monitor symptoms. “They told me to watch for bleeding over the next two days and to check my poop,” she says. The doctors explain that since the shard already passed through her throat and stomach, they expect it to pass on its own.
Still shaken, she leaves viewers with an unmistakable warning. “Do not buy these straws,” she says. She also explains that she had previously promoted the product online and is now trying to have that post removed. “I will not promote those. The cups are great, but glass straws will be a no-go forever in my house.”
She reinforces that message in her caption, writing, “SEND THIS to anyone you know who uses glass straws! If you’re using them TOSS THEM OUT. Not worth it.”
In follow-up updates, the creator tells viewers she’s doing okay so far, with no pain or bleeding as of her last post. However, she says there is still no clear sign that the shard has passed.
Are Glass Straws Actually Dangerous?
Glass straws sit in a strange middle ground. They’re reusable, easy to clean, and don’t retain flavors like plastic or silicone. But they are still made of glass, which means they can break, chip, or crack if dropped, bitten, or exposed to rapid temperature changes.
There have been previous reports of users swallowing shards when glass straws fracture during use. Dentists have also warned that sipping on hard glass can contribute to chipped teeth, especially for children. Some safety articles also caution against using glass straws with very hot beverages, where heat stress can weaken the glass over time.
None of those risks is common, but when breakage does happen, the injuries can be serious.
Commenters Are Shocked
The video’s comment section quickly fills with alarm and disbelief.
“Glass straws should be illegal,” one person writes.
Another shares a photo of herself drinking directly from a cup and adds, “I don’t understand why people can’t just.”
One parent responds immediately, writing, “Me immediately throwing away my daughter’s glass straws.”
@_colorful__chaos_ SEND THIS to anyone you know who uses glass straws! If youre using them TOSS THEM OUT. Not worth it. #glassstraws #glassstraw #glass #straw #emergency ♬ original sound – _itsbreezie_
Others steer people toward safer alternatives. “Guys, buy stainless steel or silicon straws,” one commenter urges. “Those glass straws are not it.”
And many echo the phrase now attached to the story. “New fear unlocked,” one person writes.
The Mary Sue has reached out to @colorful__chaos via TikTok messages for additional information and updates.
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