Investigators Believe ‘Cyanide’ Letter to White House Actually Contained Smoker’s Spit
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nikkytok/iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — The letter sent to the White House on Monday that raised suspicion of possible cyanide turned out to be pretty innocuous — unless you’re a smoker.
The piece of mail — containing a plastic bag and a suspicious liquid — was initially received at the offsite White House Mail Screening Center. It was tested offsite and initial results were negative, but another test on Tuesday that the envelope might contain cyanide, prompting additional tests.
The final results are in, and officials say the liquid in the plastic bag was saliva. The saliva did contain trace amounts of cyanide, which investigators think has a simple source.
The man who they believe sent the envelope, a Chicago-area homeless man, smokes excessively. Smoking cigarettes, investigators say, can produce trace amounts of the poisonous chemical in the saliva.
“Smoking cigarettes is probably one of the major sources of cyanide exposure for people who do not work in cyanide-related industries,” the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
It is unclear whether charges would be brought against the suspected sender.
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