Doctors Warn of Dangers in Kids 'Smoking' Sugary Candies

Postby Marinepits » March 20th, 2009, 12:59 pm

What the hell? :crazy2:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,509932,00.html

Not Smart(ies): Doctors Warn of Dangers in Kids 'Smoking' Sugary Candies

Friday, March 20, 2009

Doctors are warning kids across the country to stop "smoking Smarties" -- a fad they say can lead to infections, chronic coughing, choking and even maggots feeding off sugary dust in your nose.

Adolescents and teens have been crushing and inhaling candy, and then exhaling it, in an effort to look as though they’re smoking cigarettes, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

Countless youths have even posted how-to videos, like this one on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACDSkCeEfWs of themselves engaging in this behavior.

Health experts fear the behavior may lead to harmful conditions. Some kids have already shown signs of developing a “smoker’s cough.” Oren Friedman, a Mayo Clinic nose specialist, cautioned that frequent use could lead to infections or even worse, albeit rare, conditions, such as maggots inside the nose.

The trend came as a surprise to officials at Summit Middle School in Frisco, Colo., in the fall when a clique of sixth graders started “smoking” Smarties -- a popular, disk-shaped sugar candy.

Though they call it “smoking,” the kids aren’t actually lighting a match to the candy. Instead, they crush it into a fine powder in its wrapper, draw it into their mouths and then blow it out in a cloud of dust.

The fad worries Corinne McGrew, the school nurse at Summit School District. "My biggest concern was that they would aspirate the wrapper or a whole Smarties and it would be a choking hazard," she told the Wall Street Journal.

The problem is happening all over the country — and Smarties isn’t the only candy of concern, said Eric Ostrow, vice president of sales and marketing at Ce De Candy Inc., which manufactures Smarties in Union, N.J.

“It can be done with anything made with sugar and compressed — Necco Wafers, Conversation Hearts, SweeTarts, Lik-M-Aid is already pulverized and so is Pixy Styx,” Ostrow told the Journal. “I don’t want to be complimented that we’re the number one choice.”
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Postby TheRedQueen » March 20th, 2009, 1:01 pm

I remember kids doing "lines" of smarties when I was in elementary school...what goes around comes around. :| Probably those idiots had kids that grew up thinking that it was a good idea also. :rolleyes2:
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Postby Marinepits » March 20th, 2009, 1:10 pm

TheRedQueen wrote:I remember kids doing "lines" of smarties when I was in elementary school...


That's just crazy. I can honestly say I've never heard of this "fad". Must have started after I was out of elementary school. :|
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Postby BigDogBuford » March 20th, 2009, 1:41 pm

Marinepits wrote:
TheRedQueen wrote:I remember kids doing "lines" of smarties when I was in elementary school...


That's just crazy. I can honestly say I've never heard of this "fad". Must have started after I was out of elementary school. :|


Oh yeah, I had a friend who used to snort cut up sweet tarts. I tried it once with a bunch of green kool-aid powder. I sneezed and out came the most gigantic neon green wad of boogers anyone had ever seen. Cured me of that for life.
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Postby cheekymunkee » March 20th, 2009, 1:46 pm

Marinepits wrote:
TheRedQueen wrote:I remember kids doing "lines" of smarties when I was in elementary school...


That's just crazy. I can honestly say I've never heard of this "fad". Must have started after I was out of elementary school. :|



I havent heard of it either, as far as I know Amanda & her friends didnt do it. Kids get dumber & dumber dont they?
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Postby TheRedQueen » March 20th, 2009, 1:53 pm

BigDogBuford wrote:Oh yeah, I had a friend who used to snort cut up sweet tarts. I tried it once with a bunch of green kool-aid powder. I sneezed and out came the most gigantic neon green wad of boogers anyone had ever seen. Cured me of that for life.


I'll 'fess up...I did try Smarties once...the last time I did anything that my peers told me to try. ;) I coughed, gagged, wheezed and snorted big snotballs all the rest of the day...I too never did that again. It burned soooo bad.
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Postby Pit♥bull » March 20th, 2009, 2:21 pm

"maggots feeding off sugary dust in your nose"
Won't be trying that very soon :puke:
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Postby Marinepits » March 20th, 2009, 2:23 pm

Holy crap! Y'all are nuts! LMAO

The worst we ever did at that age was eat Pop Rock and drink Coke at the same time. Of course, we all stopped doing that after the Life Cereal kid supposedly died doing the same thing, LOL.
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Postby mnp13 » March 20th, 2009, 2:35 pm

BigDogBuford wrote: I sneezed and out came the most gigantic neon green wad of boogers anyone had ever seen.


lmao
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Postby BigDogBuford » March 20th, 2009, 2:50 pm

mnp13 wrote:
BigDogBuford wrote: I sneezed and out came the most gigantic neon green wad of boogers anyone had ever seen.


lmao


All over my shirt in school, I might add. 8) Walking around all day being teased because of my green booger shirt was swift and just punishment for being dumb.
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Postby iluvk9 » March 20th, 2009, 10:08 pm

Pit$Bull wrote:"maggots feeding off sugary dust in your nose"
Won't be trying that very soon :puke:



That is the part that got me, too.... 8)
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