A dangerous new trend among teens is snorting the candy known as Smarties. INSIDE EDITION explores the health risks that can happen.
It's the foolish trend triggering an urgent health warning—snorting Smarties.
All over YouTube INSIDE EDITION found videos of youngsters actually snorting the crushed-up candy, cocaine-style. In one video, a young woman in a classroom crushed a Smartie, then snorts the powder. In the video, the woman said, "I feel like I’m doing drugs, like, in the middle of class."
In another video, a group of guys use a meat tenderizer to crush the candy and then form lines of the powder.
Now, schools are warning parents and kids about the health risks.
ABC News Chief Health and Medical Correspondent Dr. Richard Besser told INSIDE EDITION, "What these can do is irritate the lining of your nose and cause bleeding, it can cause scarring. If you breathe it into your lungs it can cause an allergic reaction. It's just a bad idea."
Smarties are often called “America’s Favorite Rolled Candy" and kids love them.
Some experts say snorting Smarties can cause an infestation of maggots in the nasal cavities. Although Smarties are not a drug and snorting them is not illegal, Dr. Besser sees another issue.
He said, "They're copying drug-use behavior and they're laughing about it and that's not a good idea. You want to put a stop to that as quickly as you can."
So why on Earth are kids doing this?
INSIDE EDITION’s Les Trent spoke via Skype to 15-year-old Brandon Conti from Pennsylvania.
Trent asked, “Where does this crazy idea of snorting Smartie dust come from?”
Conti said, “Just trying to make a funny video.”
Trent then asked, “You can get lung infections from it. You can actually get maggots from it.”
Conti replied, “Not a good idea then?”
“No, not a good idea,” said Trent.
Words to live by over this disturbing new take on the phrase "Candy Crush."
Conti told INSIDE EDITION now that he knows what the health risks are, he said he will not be snorting Smarties again.
