Fight against new ‘Strawberry quick’ drug
JOBURG - The Anti Drug Alliance South Africa has been inundated with calls from concerned parents regarding the insert on Carte Blanche on 25 January 2015 in which it was established that ‘Strawberry quick’ is indeed a drug that in reality does exist especially in primary schools.
Anti Drug Alliance South Africa CEO Quintin van Kerken said it has been established that drug dealers are targeting primary school children with this drug. “There are a number of different flavours, and confidential sources known to the Anti Drug Alliance have confirmed that each flavour has a different potency. What is known at this stage is that a number of primary schools in the greater Johannesburg area have been targeted, and at this stage we are working day and night in alliance with a number of sources to establish which schools have been targeted.”
Van Kerken urged the public to assist them in their endeavours. “We ask you to please contact us if your child has personally experienced one or more of the following signs or symptoms after purchasing any type of sweet from street vendors located outside or around a school: heart palpitations, extreme chattiness and hyperactivity. Dilated pupils, a dry mouth, consuming a lot of liquids, dizziness, listlessness, rapid mood swings or paranoia and little or no sleep after consuming the sweets,” he said.
Van Kerken said they required name and contact details, the school’s name and if at all possible, a sample of the sweet. He said, “The sweet straw looks just like any other, and looks very innocent. These samples had around 30 percent crystal methamphetamine mixed with food colouring, flavouring and sugar. At this stage, we urge you to be on the lookout for these and similar looking sweets.”
The concerned anti drug activists added that on 28 January they confirmed that packets of sherbet laced with trace amounts of cocaine were also being sold in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg. “One child has already been rushed to hospital after ingesting this sherbet,” Van Kerken said. He urged public members who have any information that can lead to the arrest of a dealer or manufacturer of these sweets to contact the Anti Drug Alliance.
Details: 081 577 7715, info@antidrugalliance.com or www.antidrugalliance.com
