Parents busy tallying up the list of industrious summer reading and preparing for another year of shuttling back and forth to after-school events, overseeing homework, and shopping for appropriate clothes and shoes in ever larger sizes, might want to know: You don't have to worry about kids buying soda (pop, if you prefer) in school during school hours.
The American Beverage Association has taken care of it. In the one step forward two steps back world of public education, major soda companies have aparently agreed to voluntarily limit soda sales during school hours, indeed - they will only allow water, sports drinks and juices during school hours. But the ban doesn't apply to high schools, only middle schools. The new rule has attracted criticism, since high schools are where the most soda is sold. Furthermore, since many schools were already making serious inroads in this direction the "voluntarily" effort seems more like a preemptive jig to evade imposed limitations. Juice and sports drinks pack nearly as much of a sugar-punch as soda does, so not to worry, your child's nutritional status should stay the same.
In other school news: Drug exposure in high schools and middle schools is apparently up, according to a recent study at the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA). The survey found that 62% of high school students and 28% of middle school students say that students at their schools use or sell drugs. The study reports alarmingly that this is an increase over previous years. Apparently the teens indicate that their drug use is largely influenced by their parents attitudes towards drugs and alcohol.
Acronym Required previously commented on childhood obesity and soda and also on the indomitable success of Coca Cola at rebuffing criticism.
