A “how-to” video tutorial, grossing over 75,000 views, is giving hundreds of students hangovers and teachers and parents headaches. The newest drinking fad for teenagers, including those at East, is to soak gummy bears in vodka. One junior, Stan Marsh*, started using this method during the middle of July.
“It was just a really easy way to sneak alcohol into summer gym, and it was even easy to bring in to games,” Marsh said.
Marsh also stated that teachers didn’t suspect something as harmless as candy during class, so Marsh never got caught. He stated he liked the thrill of not getting caught and the buzz from the alcohol. He also said it made the vodka taste better, which makes it more appealing to others.
This practice continues to grow in popularity. It has replaced, according to sophomore Jane Doe*, “normal party booze like cocktails.” However, that sweet little gummy bear is more cruel than you think. After being soaked, a gummy bear can grow to around twice it’s size, and possibly more according to Doe. Since the amount of vodka absorbed by the gummies is so potent, one wouldn’t know how drunk they were until they were dangerously intoxicated.
“When I first tried it, it was like drinking Four Loko,” Doe said. “I couldn’t tell how drunk I was getting until I was in way too deep. I had to crash at my friend’s house for the night because I passed out.”
Faculty have been alerted of this trend, but are having difficulty stopping it. It is very hard to detect, since it doesn’t smell any different until it’s on a student’s breath, so many students get away with it.
“We are well aware of the situation,” Principal Karl Krawitz said. “We have yet to apprehend any students, since you’ve got to be really close to their face to smell it on them.”
Dr. Krawitz said that the staff believes it will be easier to catch students in the act once basketball starts, since the students must enter through a staff-regulated entrance to get into the game in the gym. According to him, this way it will be easier to smell any alcohol in such a tight space.
“We’re doing our best to prevent this at school, but it’s too hard to detect,” Dr. Krawitz said.
*name changed
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