Portland's
Overdose Prevention Project:
Unproven "Strawberry Quick" Rumors
Creating Panic

September 18, 2008



ORIGINAL EMAIL

"This is a new drug called 'Strawberry Quick. There is a very scary thing going on in the schools right now that we all need to be aware of.  It also smells like strawberry and it is being handed out to kids in school yards.  They are calling it strawberry meth or strawberry quick.  Kids are ingesting this thinking that it is candy and being rushed off to the hospital in dire condition.  Please instruct your children not to accept candy from strangers and even not to accept candy that looks like this from a friend (who may have been given it and believe it is candy) and to take any that they may have to a teacher, principal, etc. immediately.

Pass this email on to as many people as you can (even if they don't have kids) so that we can raise awareness and hopefully prevent any tragedies from occurring.
"
FROM PORTLAND'S OVERDOSE PREVENTION PROJECT:
An email went out to hundreds of people last night that names a new form of methamphetamine called 'Strawberry Quick,' which is supposedly a strawberry (or fruit) flavored version of meth and is being passed off as 'Pop Rocks' candy to children in schools and on playgrounds. To our knowledge, this has not occurred in Maine yet is causing unnecessary panic and concern.

Our goal is to find out if any of you have actual confirmation of this within YOUR community.  There are rumors that this is an "urban legend" and before an wave of panic completely sets in, we're hoping to dispel any myths that could cause undue stress to families with schoolchildren and the like.

strawberry meth

REAL OR URBAN LEGEND?
Some have found this exact email on snopes.com (a myth-debunking site) that states that 'strawberry meth' is an actual drug but whether it is actually in your community may be another story entirely.


Please email us if you have any information regarding this drug.  We have no proof that it has appeared in Maine and would like to get the correct information out to the public.

Overdose Prevention Project
Questions?
Comments?
Email Us!
Amanda Edgar - 756-8053 or [email protected]
Ronni Katz - 756-8116 or [email protected]
 
Information brought to you by:
Portland's Overdose Prevention Project
City of Portland, Public Health Division
Health & Human Services Department