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Last updated on Thursday, November 3, 2011
(UNDATED) - State officials are warning parents and school officials about Gummi Bears, Gummi Worms and other similar sugary jellied snacks being used to soak up liquor and the camouflage alcohol then use by underage drinkers.
The "Gummi Booze" are apparently part of a nationwide trend of secreting liquor inside the snacks, with multiple videos and "how-to" instructions prevalent on social media networks. The Gummi Bears or Worms are soaked overnight, in usually vodka.
The laced snack is then snuck into school events or past parents. Law enforcement was also notified about the new trend.
Many local health departments are distributing information about the "Gummi Booze." One tip-off is the candy are bigger, sometimes tripling their original width and length and are shinier or have a glassy appearance.
Law enforcement is concerned because the candy packs more of a punch than the underaged drinkers realize.
The American Association of Pediatrics estimates around 4 million juveniles consume alcohol illegally in the United States every month.
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