Candyman can.....
Posted: March 24th, 2008, 8:41 am
This story was interesting in light of last week's discussion about drug law enforcement policies and practices.
A few things to note of significance, here.
1. The population is diverse.
2. The admission is that ther is nothing that can be done to stop it.
3. The authorities enforcing the rules say that the rules do not produce any benefit.
4. An undergroud, illicit economy has developed around the banned substance, creating a circumstance where children are breaking rules, disregarding authority and making money based on pure market demand and opportunity. This circumstance did not exist when the candy was allowed to be consumed in school.
A few admissions:
1. This will probably never end in violence.
2. It is only candy.
A rough parallel, I admit, but this is a smaller, benign example of the criminalization of behavior that, if left decriminalized, is regulated through normal market forces and when criminalized, finds its own market in forbidden places and ways with unintended consequences such as the lessons these candy-pushing kids are learning. Drug dealers in training? Perhaps not, but you see the trend.
A few things to note of significance, here.
1. The population is diverse.
2. The admission is that ther is nothing that can be done to stop it.
3. The authorities enforcing the rules say that the rules do not produce any benefit.
4. An undergroud, illicit economy has developed around the banned substance, creating a circumstance where children are breaking rules, disregarding authority and making money based on pure market demand and opportunity. This circumstance did not exist when the candy was allowed to be consumed in school.
A few admissions:
1. This will probably never end in violence.
2. It is only candy.
A rough parallel, I admit, but this is a smaller, benign example of the criminalization of behavior that, if left decriminalized, is regulated through normal market forces and when criminalized, finds its own market in forbidden places and ways with unintended consequences such as the lessons these candy-pushing kids are learning. Drug dealers in training? Perhaps not, but you see the trend.