Overview
- The Carl-von-Linde-Realschule in Munich has prohibited bringing or using any toothpicks on campus, with a letter to parents confirming the policy.
- School officials cite the spread of flavored sticks and nicotine-soaked variants, with health estimates of roughly 2–6 milligrams of nicotine per toothpick versus about 10–12 milligrams in a cigarette.
- The school says staff cannot distinguish nicotine products in daily practice, so the prohibition applies to all toothpicks with no exceptions.
- Teachers were asked to enforce the rule and parents were urged to ensure students do not carry the items, after increased use was observed especially in seventh and eighth grades.
- The ban is supported by the Bavarian teachers’ association and by Munich’s education chief, as the trend popularized on TikTok continues to reach classrooms.