Greenades, Marijuana Gumballs, Identified by Maryland Police, Used by High School Students
Howard County, MD (PRWEB) July 22, 2006
Two bright yellow gumballs with smiley faces were seized from two high school students by police at the Howard County High School. A police officer assigned to the high school witnessed the gumballs being purchased by the students while passing between classes. The gumballs were sent to the Maryland State Police-Forensic Sciences Division Laboratory in Pikesville, Maryland who determined there was approximately one gram of high-grade marijuana packed inside each gumball. The gumballs came wrapped in colorful tin foil labeled as “Greenades” with a marijuana leaf on the wrapper and detailed instructions for use.
With this discovery, concern over Greenades is growing among parents in the area, not only for the teenagers in the local student body but also over what happens when these drug-using students bring these gumballs home and their younger brothers or sisters get a hold of them, or worse yet, curious toddlers encounter them. If a toddler were to ingest the amount of THC (the active chemical in marijuna) in one gram of high grade marijuna it could produce harmful effects.
J.T. Daily, Director of Drug Education for Narconon Arrowhead, one of the country’s leading drug rehabilitation and education centers, said, “The way drugs are being marketed and packaged these days to encourage kids to buy and use them is getting pretty sophisticated. The purpose, of course, is to create future clientèle for drugs and what better-targeted market for a pusher than kids. They are young, experimental by nature and have the money to buy it. If they try it and like it, they could end up being a permanent customer that one day ends up in our rehabilitation facility, in jail or dead.”
Narconon Arrowhead’s Daily went on to say, “The only way for parents to compete with the pro-drug influences that are present in our society today is for every concerned parent to take the time to get educated on the subject of drugs and drug addiction so they can speak to their kids with authority on the subject. Next is to communicate to kids honestly and openly and share this information with them. Don’t scold them or try to scare or punish them into not doing drugs – this rarely works and can actually worsen the problem. Parents can be stern, but in a caring fashion, when encouraging their children not to use drugs. These are a few powerful tools that parents can use in guiding kids to make the right choices when it comes to drugs.”
To obtain more information on how you can help educate your children about the dangers of drug and alcohol use, or if you know someone who needs help with addiction, contact Narconon Arrowhead’s information hotline 1-800-468-6933 or visit www.stopaddiction.com.
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