SUISUN CITY, California (Newspronet for WUSA)--It's taking place in lunchrooms, playgrounds and classrooms across the country.

It may even be happening in your own home -- kids smoking candy.

But doctors and safety experts say this new trend isn't so sweet.

Every so often, 18-year-old Jeremy Froncek says he sneaks a smoke.

"Around the house, ya know, outside of work," Froncek said.

But he's not puffing on cigarettes. He's "smoking" candy.

Kids grind up pieces of candy, like Smarties, a tart tablet, and they actually inhale the fine candy powder then blow it out like cigarette smoke.

"Eventually, as I got better at it, you know, it was just a cool thing to do," says Froncek.

And that's what has parents and drug counselors so concerned. A quick search on YouTube shows dozens of how-to videos created by children of all ages. Some clips even show children snorting the powder.

"Before I was sent the YouTube videos, I had never heard of smoking and snorting Smarties," drug safety expert Peggy Sapp says.

Sapp was alarmed that kids are mimicking such dangerous and illegal habits, but says kids often do what's "in" to fit in.

"Who doesn't want to be cool? To get on YouTube and they have become instant celebrities with their peer groups," says Sapp.

But doctors warn this is dangerous. Dr. Mark Shikowitz, a Long Island ear nose and throat specialist, treated a 9-year-old who had pieces of candy lodged in his nose.

"He told his parents that he felt his nose was burning," Dr. Shikowitz says.

The candy eventually dissolved, but Shikowitz said kids could also accidentally inhale the fine powder down the wrong pipe.

"That irritation can cause you to cough, can cause you to laryngospasm, which is your voice box spasming and closing," Shikowitz says.

If the sugar sits in the lungs or in the nasal cavity for a prolonged period of time it could cause an infection.

"Any time you have a substance such as sugar in these areas, which are moist, it creates a terrific growth medium for bacteria," Shikowitz says.

Experts also worry that this trend could spark interest in real cigarettes or illegal drugs.

The company that manufactures Smarties said it "regrets that a negative message of this type has been sent to young people."

Geez who'd have thunk it. About as stupid as sniffing glue or white out when we were young.

I'm watching Dr. Phil right now and not only is this kid talking about smoking candy...but also about the new trend of snorting powdered drinks!

this is not new - does any remember the candy cigarettes we had when we were younger, they no longer make so kids make their own now.

not a great decision but this is not new.

Those two are mild. I had a friend when I was in jr. high that got into huffing spray paint, and gasoline.

He's been in assisted care living since he was 22.

oh please come on... its not really gonna do anything but mess up their noses. the kids I went to school with did this in high school. they will wake up an see when they cant stop their nose from bleeding. they will learn.

They still make candy smokes. The store 50 feet from me has them on the counter for all the kids to see.

haven't seen them in ages

Well, I do know that if you suck something into your lung, like a piece of candy that wasn't small enough, it can occlude your bronch and cause your upper lobe of your lung to collapse. If not found quickly enough, or misdiagnosed as pneumonia or something, a collapsed lobe will get infection and have to have that lobe removed.

Another dumb game I heard of a few years ago is called the Marshmellow game. Kids were shoving as many marshmellows into their mouths as they could. But they swell, and are so sticky they can't be removed. Even when EMT's arrived on scene their suction machines could sometimes not clear the airway and the kid would die. Why is it they want to stick things in their mouths and nose???

Its because as parents we wanted our kids to have what we didn't have in life.. The kids are running out of things to do . There are getting creative in ways. Like when we played "cowboys and Indians " with sticks.

Kids are given to much to easily and have no concept of what it takes to earn a living or what work ethics are. They want it all handed to them...MORE MORE MORE is there credo... no imagination anymore...so the immulate what they see on the Tv and videos. go figure.


I am amazed at how many didn't see this coming at all. and they ask themselves where did I go wrong with my kid.



DOH!