"Strawberry Quick": Should Parents be Worried?

If you're a parent, chances are a friend or family member has recently sent you an e-mail about "Strawberry Quick," as this e-mail has really been making the rounds. (In some e-mails, it's spelled "Strawberry Quik." Both are named after the powder used to make flavored milk drinks.)

Apparently some drug dealers are selling colored crystal methamphetamine that resembles "Pop Rocks" and other forms of candy. It has been nicknamed "Strawberry Quick." That much has been confirmed here by Snopes.com.

There's also a rumor that drug dealers are selling crystal meth that has been flavored to make it more appealing to kids. That's somewhat in dispute, says Snopes.com. Check out their explanation for both sides of that part of the story.

Should we be talking with our kids about Strawberry Quick? Absolutely. Logic says that a kid could be given this stuff by a friend who had innocently received it from another friend and who didn't even know he or she was sharing a dangerous drug. I talked with my seventh grader about it and showed him these photos.

Of course, it's always important to check out these e-mails with Snopes.com (or with your local police department). We have more credibility with our kids (and we might save ourselves needless anxiety) when we make it a policy to always verify the facts.

In this case, there appears to be a great deal of truth here. And unfortunately, it's wrapped in a yummy-looking pink package.