"Regrettably, one of our EB Games store locations in Queensland set-up an unauthorised display within the store in support of the launch of the Grand Theft Auto V video game," spokeswoman Debra McGrath said. "The display included a white powdery substance that appeared to be some form of an illegal drug. "We can confirm that the powdery substance was 'sherbet', a type of fizzy candy, and at no point did the store attempt to give any of the fizzy candy away. "This was an isolated incident, and we apologise for any offence this may cause." Ms McGrath later confirmed the incident occurred at the Southport store but said she could not comment on if the staff members involved had been reprimanded.

"We do not comment of private staffing matters," she said. Queensland Drug and Alcohol Research Centre director Jake Najman said the actions of the gaming store staff reflected a growing acceptability of drug use among young people. "Drug use by young people is common and is part of normal social behaviour," Professor Najman said. "There is a context where this is not unusual behaviour." Professor Najman said while cocaine was not particularly prevalent in Queensland, research showed drug use was growing in young people, with one third of people aged 15 to 25 having experimented with an illegal substance.

"Drug use is normal, it's not that it (the store) is normalising the practice, what is happening is they are reflecting accepted standards in young people," he said. "You are talking about behaviour that is not rare, I think that's the future, I think we are headed for a new world. "Young people are going to be exposed to a wide range of temptations that have a negative effect on their health and that's the world we are going into. Loading "It is a new reality, like the (Grand Theft Auto) game itself, it's bizarre and a whole new world.

"We need to work out how we can minimise the harms."