MIDLAND-ODESSA, TEXAS - A sweet
snack is leaving a bad taste in some people's mouths. It's called
'Chronic Candy,' a marijuana-flavored lollypop that is popping
up in convenience stores across the country.
The pop's maker says their product
is aimed at smokers. However, at least one Midland organization
says the real target is teens.
Its slogan ... "Every lick is like
taking a hit ..."
They come in all colors and have
names like 'Purple Haze,' 'Acapulco Gold' and 'Rasta.' But they
all have one thing in common ... they taste like pot.
"Its just another way of normalizing
something that is illegal," Brent Blackburn, who works for the
Palmer Drug Abuse Program (PDAP) in Midland, commented.
Blackburn believes the pops are
a negative image for children.
"They get the image that its okay,
and no big deal ... "it's not hurting me" he explained. "The facts
are, that this is a dangerous drug. It hurts all people that smoke
it ... all the consequences that come along."
The 'pot pops' are made by a company
called Chronic Candy, and they're endorsed by celebrities such
as Snoop Dog and Paris Hilton.
"They got what they call 'Sticky
Icky,' gum drops and lollypops," Krissy Hale, a student at Midland
Lee High School, described. "To me, they are stupid." Hale thinks
the pops are like any other drug paraphernalia, and should be banned.
"It would be a product that a lot
of people would buy, try, simply because it's targeted to us," she
explained. "Not many adults suck on suckers or eat gum drops. It's
stupid for us to sit here, and they are targeted to the youth."
News West 9 made several calls
this morning to track down the popular pop, and even went in to
several stores ... but turned up empty-handed.
