Parents Are Concerned After Video Of Sabah Schoolkids "Smoking" Candy Goes Viral
Children inhale the powder via a straw, and exhale to produce a smoke-like effect.
By Selena Chua — 22 Jul 2019, 01:42 PM
A video recently surfaced online showing three students from SK Pekan Papar in Sabah 'having a smoke'
The small red container in question is Ghost Candy or Smoke Candy, a new sweet that has been gaining popularity among school kids lately because of its “cool” smoke-like effect
Children inhale the powder by sucking on the straw and exhale to produce white smoke. The whole process resembles smoking a cigarette.
According to Sin Chew, the students in the video 'smoke' a packet of candy daily.
They also found that the candy can be purchased right outside the school for merely 50 cents a packet and has thus gained popularity among Year Five and Six students.
As such, parents are concerned that the candy will encourage children to pick up smoking
The Sun reported that while it has yet to be confirmed if ingredients in the candy pose any health risks, some parents have lodged complaints with the Papar district health office, according to Chairman of the Parent-Teacher Association at the school.
In a statement to The Sun, Malaysian Community Care Foundation chairman Halim Ishak said, "It is regrettable that children as young as seven are purchasing it," adding that such items should be withdrawn from the market until there is research on its impact on health.
Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah Wilfred Madius Tangau has also issued a statement in light of parents’ concerns over the candy’s popularity
"Even though no health threats have been found, the candy might encourage students to pick up smoking. The candy should be taken off shelves and banned from sale," he said in a statement on Facebook.
The Health Ministry has since confirmed that the Food Safety and Quality Division are in the midst of conducting checks for the candy, as reported by The Sun.
