Many Illegal Drugs Now Look, Taste Like Candy

Many Illegal Drugs Now Look, Taste Like Candy


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Sandra Yi ReportingBrock: "It's easy. It's almost scary how easy it is for kids to get drugs."

Many of those drugs are turning up in pills made to look like popular candy. Experts say it's a disturbing trend every parent needs to be aware of.

More kids are experimenting with dangerous drugs. Some of those drugs can be found in all of our homes. We're talking about over-the-counter medicines and prescription pills, but there's another face of drugs -- meth, marijuana and ecstasy that look like candy.

We talked to teens who used drugs. They say this stuff isn't hard to get.

Brock, Former Drug User: "There's enough people that if you're looking for it, you can find anything you want to find."

That's what he found when he started using drugs at age 14.

Brock: "Actually, at my age, the hardest thing to get is alcohol."

Brock, who is now 18, admits to having tried everything but meth and cocaine.

Brock: "Everything is off the street, even the pharmaceuticals I was getting for the most part were off the street."

Twenty-year old Tarrah started with cough and cold pills. Those same pills almost killed her 12-year old brother. He nearly died, but no one knew what was wrong because tests can't detect over-the-counter medications.

Tarrah, Former Drug User: "It took him three and a half weeks before he started to come to and was able to tell my dad and the doctor what he had taken."

Authorities say more kids are using and abusing illicit drugs. What's disturbing is many of them come disguised as tempting treats.

Debby Pastrana, DrugTALK: "Yarba here comes in flavors, tastes, and looks like candy, and it's chewable; and it's equivalent to five hits of meth. This is marijuana, tastes and looks like Jolly Rancher and it's laced with THC which is marijuana."

Teens say the look of these drugs makes them seem harmless.

Brock: "I don't want to smoke, shoot or snort. I'll just swallow something. I swallow pills, vitamins, everyday, but this one just makes me feel different."

Both Brock and Tarrah are sober now. They encourage parents to talk to their kids.

Tarrah: "Teach them about it so they're more aware of what can happen to them and be more of a friend to them. Don't turn them away if they come to you and tell you that they're using drugs."

DrugTALK is a private company that encourages just that, communication between parents and kids. It has partnered with Smith's to sell an instructional DVD and Reference Guide. All proceeds will go to the Boys and Girls Club.

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