The Strawberry Quick Problem: A devil in disguise

Abstract

To,
The editor,
I would like to report the recent Strawberry Quick
drug scare which has now reached Pakistan, to add to
its plethora of bewildering issues.
In 2017, a leading Pakistani private institution issued a
circular to parents warning about the threat of a pop
rock candy (a confection that fizzles and pops in the
mouth), which is a disguise of a recreational drug cum
intoxicant methamphetamine.1 This has created havoc
among parents, who are concerned about such products
being handed out to their naive children.
The issue has been making headlines on an international
level since 2007, first reported in the Western states. It
was named Strawberry Quick or Quik (after Quik, a
powder incorporated in milk drinks for adding flavor).
It is dark pink in color and has a strawberry scent to it,
to increase its appeal among children who perceive it
as candy.2
It was warned that the drug was made available to school
children and teenagers in school backyards and through
fences, usually via strangers. Apart from strawberry,
other flavors, including chocolate, peanut butter, cola,
cherry, grape and orange have also been reported.1
Methamphetamine, a stimulant and a highly addictive
drug, increases the amount of dopamine in the brain
which is involved in body movement, pleasure, reward,
etc. The rapid release of dopamine in the reward areas
of brain creates a state of euphoria experienced by many
people. It is usually taken as a powder or a pill.
Methamphetamine encompasses a wide range of both
short and long term effects. It causes hyperactivity,
reduced appetite, faster breathing, rapid or irregular
heartbeat and elevated blood pressure. Long term effects
may include anxiety, confusion, paranoia, hallucinations,
dental problems(meth mouth) and weight loss. An
overdose can result in stroke, myocardial infarction,
kidney failure and even death.3,4
However, law enforcing agencies have not validated the
concern with sound evidences and believe that the
coloring and flavoring of meth could possibly be a
manufacturing process instead of a deliberate attempt
to market it to children.They also conjecture the idea
that children do not have the sufficient income to
purchase such products.5 It is imperative to note, however,
that drug dealers consider teenagers as easy targets.
Hence, it is vital to take the threat of drug scare into
consideration and to provide effective awareness to both
students and