Parents in the Western Cape have been urged not to share a viral message. The message claims that pink, candy-like “strawberry quick” meth is being distributed on school grounds. The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) said the message is a recurring hoax and confirmed there is no such substance circulating in local schools. WCED Spokesperson Bronagh Hammond cautioned families to remain vigilant about substance abuse, but to avoid spreading unverified posts.
The strawberry quick hoax has resurfaced many times since 2007, often accompanied by an image of bright pink, teddy bear–shaped “sweets”. Warnings state that the drug comes in multiple flavours. The latest iteration mirrors earlier versions that prompted alarm and school advisories in other countries.
What it Means for Parents and Schools
Authorities and fact-checkers have repeatedly debunked the claim. They state that drug dealers are not targeting children with flavoured meth designed to look like candy. Investigations traced a widely shared “pink bears” photo back to unrelated MDMA imagery from 2016–2017. This was not evidence of “strawberry quick” meth. “It’s not a trend or a real problem,” US drug enforcement officials said in earlier corrections cited by fact-checkers.
For Western Cape families, the takeaway is twofold: treat viral warnings about the strawberry quick hoax with skepticism, and keep talking to children about the risks of taking unknown sweets or substances. The WCED’s stance aligns with global debunks. They have found no credible proof of the hoax claim in schools.
Response
Spokesperson Bronagh Hammond stated the circulating message is a hoax and urged vigilance against sharing unverified information. No additional responses from law enforcement were included in the WCED comments cited by local media at the time of publication.
