Gum drops: the newest alcohol delivery system

Police are turning up more cases of a new fad among the city’s youth: getting drunk by gum drops. Apparently imported from the U.S., the practice involves soaking gum drops in heated liquor before they are consumed.

Several parties where the loaded gum drops were found were closed down by police in November and December. Party-goers often argue that they are not drinking, but police aren’t buying it.

“It is the consumption of alcohol no matter what you call it,” says police official Jorge Cabrera, “and if you are under the age of eighteen, it is against the law.” He adds that the gum drops are very absorbent and can hold large amounts of alcohol in relation to their weight.