No; Circulated Pink Teddy Bear—Drugs Message in Schools Not From Liberia
Claim: “New Drug in Schools”
Verdict: Unproven and Misleading
Full Text: Over the weeks, an image of pink bear-shaped sweets has been used to warn WhatsApp and Messenger users that a new drug is in schools.
The message requests users to pass the message on even if a user does not have kids in school.
It says, "This is a new drug known as 'strawberry quick. There is a very scary thing going on in the schools right now that we all need to be aware of. There is a type of crystal meth going around that looks like strawberry pop rocks (the candy that sizzles and 'pops' in your mouth).”
The message furthers, “It also smells like strawberry and it is being handed out to kids in school yards. They are calling it strawberry meth or strawberry quick. Kids are ingesting this thinking that it is candy and being rushed off to the hospital in dire condition. It also comes in chocolate, peanut butter, cola, cherry, grape, and orange.”
Additionally, the message requests social media users to instruct their children not to accept candy from strangers and if it is given the candy should be given to a teacher, principal, etc. immediately.
Substance use is a significant and common problem among school-aged youths throughout Africa and Liberia is no exception.
Verification: We contacted the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency, acting Public Relations Officer, Olando Demey to verify this claim. Demey said the agency has not arrested such drugs in Liberia, disclosing that Intel is closely working on it.
Click here, here, and here to view similar posts on Facebook. TSM received the same image and text for verification on its WhatsApp tip line with a photo of a transparent plastic bag containing what appear to be pink bear-shaped candies.
A Google reverse image search unveiled that the claim has been fact-checked by Maldita in 2020, and Boom Check in 2025.
Maldita reported that the National Police confirmed to them that they have not asked for the image to be shared and that they have "no evidence" that what is said has happened in Spain, as we already denied in 2017, while Boom Check reported that the claim is a recycled hoax from 2007, with no substantiation from credible authorities.
Vick June Wutoh, a youth advocate, says that with the wide use of drugs among school-going kids in the country, it is important that the LDEA get the involvement of the Parents Teacher Association to tackle substance abuse in schools.
Wutoh thinks that since there are current laws and policies on substance abuse, statutory bodies must now indulge to make the laws effective.
Conclusion: With the research and a statement from the LDEA, the circulated WhatsApp and Messenger messages are false; there is no record of them circulating in schools in Liberia.
