Snorting Smarties
Children in grade school have begun to snort the candy Smarties. It brings me back to the times when we “smoked” candy cigarettes and the excitement we felt when we saw the smoke come out the end of the candy. Our grade school students have taken this a step further. Like any other drug, there are sites on the internet that will show how to snort Smarties. This is obviously not a drug, outside of the addictive qualities that sugar has, all the same there are negative side effects from snorting or smoking the candy. The sugar residue can remain in the nasal cavity or the lungs causing coughs or even asthma. The cough caused is even called a “smokers cough.” According to NewsfeedTIME the trend has led the candy maker to warn against improper use of the candy. Doctors warn against the snorting or smoking of Smarties because of the possibility of infections and even an infestation of maggots who feed on the sugar. One youth explained that he did not feel the urge to use illegal drugs because of his smoking of Smarties, but felt it was more like a party trick and his friends liked it. There is a huge push for parents to communicate with their children and educate them on the possibilities of negatively impacting themselves with this use of Smarties. It appears the trend is powered by the desire to be cool so let’s help our youth find ways to be confident and secure in who they are!