Wayne Watson was awarded $7 million in a lawsuit after he was diagnosed with a respiratory disease called “microwave popcorn lung” in 2007. Say what? And get this–the guy apparently ate two bags of microwave popcorn a day for years. Am I the only one asking how anyone could eat this much popcorn and live to tell about it?
Regardless, Watson made off with the cash from the courts. The disease is caused by inhaling the popcorn’s vapor, specifically the chemical dicetyl. The problem has also been linked to lung problems in popcorn plant workers and is the reason why the chemical is no longer added to the artificial butter. Watson says there should have been a warning on the bags. Lawyers for supermarket chain Kroger, one of the defendents in the suit, disagree, saying
“They might have well have warned that there are aliens popping out of the bags because there’s just as much support for that.”