Keep Factually independent
Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.
Is Dr. Ben Carson's blue honey trick a scam?
Executive summary
Multiple fact‑checking organizations have found that social‑media ads claiming Dr. Ben Carson discovered a “blue honey” or CBD‑gummies cure and that he endorsed products are fabricated and described as scams; Carson’s team has denied any endorsement [1] [2] [3]. Independent analyses also show doctored images and fake magazine covers, and university and fact‑check labs have identified altered audio/video and other hallmarks of scam advertising [2] [4] [1].
1. What the advertisements claim — and why they look suspicious
Ads circulating on Facebook and other platforms allege Ben Carson discovered “3 completely natural ingredients,” promote CBD gummies or so‑called “blood vessel cleaning” products, and sometimes show fake Time, CNN or Nature covers to lend credibility; fact‑checkers note those magazine covers and interviews are not genuine and the claims are clinically unsupported [2] [1] [3].
2. Direct denials from Carson’s camp and fact‑check verdicts
Brad Bishop and a spokesperson for Carson’s nonprofit American Cornerstone Institute have told fact‑checkers that Carson never endorsed these products and did not create the claims; AFP, PolitiFact and Health Feedback have labeled the posts “fake” and “a scam” after contacting Carson’s representatives and checking the sources [1] [3] [2].
3. Technical evidence of fakery: doctored images and edited audio/video
Analysts found the images used in these ads are altered (for example, re‑using photos from campaign events) and fact‑check tools and media‑forensics labs concluded that the videos and audio clips purporting to show Carson endorsing gummies are manipulated or fabricated, consistent with deepfake or editing techniques flagged by university labs and Lead Stories [4] [2].
4. Why these are classified as scams, not mere misinformation
Health Feedback and AFP explain these posts follow classic scam patterns: urgent medical promises, fake testimonials and forged press coverage that steer viewers to buy a product of unproven efficacy — behaviors the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns are characteristic of health‑fraud scams [2] [1]. Fact‑checkers explicitly call the shared endorsements “fake and a scam” after tracing the advertising tactics [1] [2].
5. Past behavior that increases public skepticism
Reporting documents prior episodes where Carson’s name appeared tied to commercial supplements — for example, his association as a spokesman for a supplement company reported in other outlets — which critics cite as context for why scammers reuse his image for product promotions; those earlier controversies do not validate current claims and fact‑checkers still find the specific CBD/“blue honey” endorsements fabricated [5] [2].
6. What the evidence does not show or address
Available sources do not mention any independently verified clinical trials or peer‑reviewed research demonstrating that the advertised “3 natural ingredients,” blue honey, or CBD gummies cure hypertension or “clean blood vessels” as claimed in the ads; they also do not document any genuine Time/CNN/Nature features with Carson making those discoveries [2] [3]. Available sources do not provide evidence that any specific product promoted in these ads is effective.
7. How consumers should interpret and respond
Given the documented fakery — doctored images, fake headlines, spokesman denials and fact‑checker rulings — consumers should treat ads linking celebrity photos to miracle medical claims as scams, avoid purchases from such pages, and consult credible medical guidance for hypertension and related conditions [1] [2]. Fact‑checkers recommend checking reputable outlets before acting on social‑media health claims [2].
8. Competing viewpoints and limitations in reporting
All cited fact‑checking organizations and Carson’s representatives uniformly reject the endorsements as fake [1] [2] [3]. Alternative viewpoints that might defend the products themselves or claim different provenance for the ads are not found in the provided sources; therefore, the reporting tilts toward a consensus that these specific Carson endorsements are fraudulent. Available sources do not assert broader legal conclusions about the advertisers beyond labeling the posts scams.
Bottom line: The claim that Dr. Ben Carson legitimately endorsed “blue honey,” CBD gummies, or a three‑ingredient cure is contradicted by multiple fact checks, spokesman denials, and media‑forensics analyses; the posts have the characteristics of commercial scam ads and should be treated skeptically [1] [2] [3] [4].