IDIOTIC SCHOOL BAN ON CANDY MIRRORS STUPIDITY OF DRUG PROHIBITION

Sugar has long been a popular drug consumed and even sold in schools
nationwide. But concerns over health, obesity and the risk of diabetes
have led some schools in California to institute a ban on sugary
snacks. In response to these candy sales bans, some students are
starting to deal candy bars on the "underground market" at a marked up
price.

In the United States today, more than 12.5 million children and
adolescents -- 17.1 percent of young people ages two to 19 are
overweight. They are more likely to develop high blood pressure, high
cholesterol and Type-2 diabetes. It is admirable that schools are
trying to get a handle on this problem by replacing unhealthy foods
with healthier options. But, as schools attempt to replace sugary
treats with healthier alternatives like granola bars, business savvy
students have stepped in to meet the demand by bringing candy from
home or stores and reselling them at school.

Whether it's banning alcohol consumption 75 years ago, keeping illegal
drugs off the streets (and out of the pharmacies) today, or the
banning of sweets from the schools tomorrow, there most likely will be
someone to step in and fill the void. But aside from the Economics 101
lesson of supply and demand, there are a number of important take-home
lessons to be learned from the consequences of prohibition -- even the
well intended prohibition of sweets.

1) Prohibition rarely works.

Despite their schools' junk-food ban, Jim Nason, principal of
Victorville High School, says he sees as much soda and candy as ever.
The ineffectiveness of Victorville High's ban on chocolate is not
surprising when we consider the much more intense effort by all levels
of government to prohibit other potentially harmful substances like
illicit drugs.

After 40 years of "Just Say No" and fantasies of a "Drug-Free
America," we are a country swimming in drugs. Our government spends
tens of billions of dollars a year locking up hundreds of thousands of
its citizens for simple drug law violations and drugs are still as
plentiful as ever. Despite harsh "drug-free school zone laws" half of
all high-school seniors will have tried marijuana before graduation.
In fact teenagers say it is easier to get marijuana than it is to get
alcohol as drug dealers don't check for IDs. By prohibiting candy, we
may be contributing to its allure by creating a certain taboo around
it.

2) Prohibition usually creates new and potentially worse
problems.

While it is clear that prohibition rarely works, it may be less
obvious how it usually creates new and possibly more dangerous
problems. So how should the school punish the rule breakers who are
dealing the candy? Victorville High confiscates candy and issues
punishment for sales, usually detention. And what happens if this
punishment doesn't work? Should repeat offenders be suspended? Should
they be kicked out of school? How far are we willing to go to enforce
this ban? And whose job is it to enforce these rules? Are overwhelmed
teachers who are dealing with 30-plus students per class now going to
spend class time searching students' bags for candy?

3) Educating our teens to make responsible choices makes more
sense.

I appreciate schools and advocates who are tackling the obesity issue
in our society. I understand the desire to keep our children safe and
the fear of our teens developing unhealthy addictions to a range of
things they consume from food and sugar to alcohol and other drugs. As
a society, we should do everything we can to encourage healthy choices
and after-school programs that have been shown to reduce student drug
use and keep kids fit.

But let's not let our good intentions and legitimate concerns lead to
solutions where the cure is worse than the disease. No phony horror
stories ('try marijuana and you will turn into a homeless heroin
addict') or "zero tolerance" policies that expel otherwise good
students, and end up causing much more harm than good. At the end of
the day, prohibition of candy -- or drugs -- while making us feel
good, is simplistic and superficial and avoids the hard work of
educating our children to make responsible choices.

Tony Newman is communications director for the Drug Policy Alliance.