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Smoking Smarties - Just Say No
Filed under: Teens, Weird But True
There is good news and bad news on the teen smoking front. The good news is that teen smoking has been steadily declining over the past few years. This can be attributed to a number of factors, including changes in the way cigarettes are advertised, national anti-smoking campaigns and the increased cost of the cigarettes themselves. The bad news is that while fewer teens are smoking tobacco, some of them clearly still think smoking is cool. But how does one get that cool smoker look without actually risking the health hazards that go along with tobacco? For some kids, the answer can be found in the candy store. A ridiculous new trend has sprung up where kids emulate the act of smoking by crushing up a roll of Smarties candies, pouring the candy powder into their mouths, and blowing it out like smoke.
It is impossible to know who came up with this brilliant idea, but thanks to the Internet, the phenomenon has spread across the country. Over at Lemondrop, they have uncovered a handy how-to for the novice Smarties smoker featuring 14-year-old Titus Williams demonstrating how it's done.
"It's kind of like eating the candy, but a different way to eat the candy," says Titus. And what do Titus' parents think of his Smarties smoking prowess? After initially being concerned, dad Melvin has come to the conclusion that it's harmless. "I just thought it was funny," he says.
But is it really harmless? Certainly smoking Smarties is less dangerous than smoking cigarettes, but there are some health hazards involved. Oren Friedman, a nose specialist at the Mayo Clinic says that frequent use can lead to infections and, in some cases, maggots. Yep, kids aren't the only ones who enjoy that sugary dust and should some become wedged inside the nose, they may find themselves a walking, talking maggot buffet.
Besides any potential health problems, the real concern here is whether or not smoking Smarties leads to smoking real cigarettes. Titus Williams seems to think not. In fact, his YouTube page urges viewers to "quit cigs and start the smarts."
What do you think? Is this just kids being kids and something parents should ignore and let die down on its own? Or could Smarties really be a gateway candy to something more harmful?
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
3-27-2009 @ 10:14AM
LS said...Oh my goodness... what if? what if? what if? What if you fell out of bed and broke your neck and died? Does that mean that we shouldn't go to bed?
Honestly, there is a study, and a worry wart for EVERYTHING these days!! MAGGOTS??? Come on, people. How do maggots happen? They're eggs. Something's gotta get in that nose to lay the eggs. Don't you think a kids gonna notice if there's a FLY IN HIS NOSE???
This just makes me laugh. It's like the candy cigarettes that were so popular when I was a kid. We pretended to smoke them, then we ate them. Then we went and played ball. I even remember going to the joke shop and buying little paper cigs that actually had a "light up tip"... there was something in them that caused them to glow when you sucked or blew through them. We'd save up to buy them. But still, to this day, I don't smoke.
It's candy, it's a gimmick. And apparently, just one more way for kids to annoy their parents. Use another piece of advice that my parents give: If you ignore a behavior, they'll figure out for themselves that it's stupid, and quit doing it.
Honestly, aren't there enough *important* things for us to freak out about?
Reply
3-27-2009 @ 10:15AM
LS said...I'm sorry, I misspoke... the larvae aren't eggs, they're "babies" that have come from eggs. But you got my point
3-27-2009 @ 12:08PM
ninainindia said...I agree, this fear society is getting on my nerves. If we can't even eat chocolate cigarettes anymore or "smoke" smarties, what is next? Wear a helmet in your house in case the roof collapses?
3-27-2009 @ 2:10PM
Jamie said...Great Post. I loved those candied cigarettes. I wish they would bring them back. They have candy "sticks" now. I used to think I was so cool with my candy cigarettes. I never have and never will smoke.
3-27-2009 @ 2:43PM
Melissa said...I agree, great post....I remember those candy cigarettes, too, we thought we were soooo cool lol....I ended up smoking, but not because of those things, and my other friends ebded up NOT smoking! Maggots....how funny!
3-29-2009 @ 4:10PM
Jess said...oh please. kids have been smoking candy for decades. this is not news.
Reply
3-28-2009 @ 10:23AM
Emily said...Is this really a new trend? I remember at least four years back, some fifth graders had been trying this out in my school district. It died out in about two years, simply because everyone stopped doing it.
As far as I know, none of them smoke as older kids, and I highly doubt that this will lead kids to smoke real cigarettes. Give them more credit, health classes are very imformative nowadays, and the dangers of real drugs are taught. It's not the smoking candy that's cool, it's the sheer fact that other people are doing it and are fine (I agree with the top post, how will the maggots get IN their nose?)
It's just a fad, and coming from my school district, it'll fade out over time. Well, I'm just shocked that it's been brought back!
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3-30-2009 @ 4:47AM
Anne said...Great and very nice information.
Reply
4-02-2009 @ 2:01AM
J said...I pioneered this at my school actually because I learned it from one other kid at another district. I can't believe it's spreading though, I thought it was just fun and games in the area where I live. Well, as for it leading to cigarette use and all, just let kids be kids. Let them have some fun just as long as they won't actually smoke. Better yet, if a child is starting the smarty smoking trend maybe this would be a good time for parents to bring up the dangers of actually smoking tobacco with their kids. And being a long time smarty smoker, I've had no side effects or anything of the matter that is stated in this article. Also, for most of the kids I've seen doing it they usually quit, the kids that attended school with me and all did it for a couple weeks then got off it like it was a phase. It's not something parents should be worried about their kid doing everyday. It's more like a moment of fun really.
On a side note, the maggot thing made me laugh my @$$ off! Who would've thought! Ooo, I think I feel the big one moving up my mouth now! (joking ^^ lame joke aside)
Reply