It seems like every day a new fad comes out – especially with respect to teenagers. What is one of the latest disturbing trends – alcohol candy.
Young drinkers have started to disguise the presence of alcohol by soaking candy, such as gummy worms and gummy bears, in alcohol to get drunk.
Drew Smith, director of the Office of Substance Education and Responsibility, said he can see this trend being a problem with kids in elementary school all the way up to college adults.
Smith hopes to inform people about the risks that go along with its design.
“It took everybody by surprise in the knowledge community I’m involved with,” Smith said. “My concern is that bringing attention will encourage more than anything else.”
Kids are always looking for a way to beat the system. By finding a way to bring alcohol into schools certainly is a way for them to show their rebellion.
What makes this even more scary is that younger people may be influenced by those who are older than them to take part in this trend. With something like this, it’s easy for kids to over-do it and not really think about the repercussions.
Schools both in the US and overseas are starting to witness this increasing trend. Locally, a 7th grader was suspended after throwing up in math class. It turns out she had eaten about 20 of these tainted gummies and was incredibly intoxicated.
Teachers and school administrators have enough to deal with without adding this to their plate. Parents, talk to your kids and make sure they realize the dangers of these “gummy bears”. Perhaps you might consider enrolling your child in a minor in possession class.