ANN LANDERS

DRUG POLICY REQUIRES COMMON SENSE

DEAR ANN: I clipped the enclosed article from the Grand Rapids Press
because it struck me as a perfect example of what's wrong with our society.
Too many people these days are being promoted to their level of
incompetence. I realize that school personnel must monitor for drugs
because of the problems we have with school-age pushers and violent crimes,
but let's take a second or third look before losing our sense of balance.
Here's the story:

A 6-year-old boy in Colorado Springs has been suspended for half a day
because he brought ``drugs'' to school. Actually, they were lemon drops
that he had purchased in a health food store.

The fire department and an ambulance were called after a teacher found the
first-grader giving the candies to a fellow pupil. Both boys' parents were
urged to take their children to the hospital for tests, despite the
mother's assurances that the lemon drops were harmless.

An administrator at the school said the half-day suspension was consistent
with the district's drug policy, which treats unfamiliar products as
controlled substances. The boy's mother called the response ``complete
hysteria,'' adding, ``I can't believe these people are educating our
kids.''

- -- J.W. in Martin, Mich.

DEAR MARTIN, MICH.: I'm glad you sent the clipping. I would have had a hard
time believing the story without proof.

Write to Ann Landers in care of Silicon Valley Life, the Mercury News, 750
Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, Calif. 95190. Enclose an addressed, stamped
envelope.

Checked-by: jwjohnson@netmagic.net (Joel W. Johnson)