SUGAR

“I have a terrible sweet tooth” she says innocently, when I ask the question. The information is offered as a signal that a suggestion of an alternative approach will not be entertained. It is that childlike admission that addiction has taken hold and society will understand and accept it. Reverting to a childlike state is part of the show. Tut tut. How can one scold a child in this situation? Or more likely how can you expect a child to take an adult responsibility for this scenario? The insidious poison of sugar is everywhere and we are trained and groomed to accept it in so many, many ways. What if we learned to see it in another way…?
 
Sugar has often been compared to cocaine in terms of how it lights up the reward centres in the brain. Would we see sugar differently if we thought of it as cocaine? Would we make as many excuses for being addicted to it? Or would we actively seek rehabilitation?  
 
Let’s see how this would work. Let’s swap a sugar scenario we are familiar with. Instead of the word  “treat” I’ve put the words “line of coke” in place when you picture these scenarios…lets go.  
 
Scenario one: A visit to the pharmacy/credit union/bank/post office etc with your small child: Those bottle of lollipops on the counter when the teller says: would  you like a little line of coke?
 
Scenario two: Children’s birthday parties! When those party bags are distributed before you depart and the host says: Here’s a little party bag for you all with a few lines of coke inside..
 
Scenario three: Trick or treat trips around the neighbourhood with a variety of drugs dispensed from each house with a few lines of coke included.
 
I had better stop this because there are too many to imagine. Don’t get me started on cake sales!  If you find yourself slightly offended or miffed at the thought, then it’s a case of gotcha. That is how I feel about sugar. We should be highly offended at how insidious it is for our children. They haven’t a chance if society endorses the drug pusher.
 
Cigarettes were once very socially acceptable until they weren’t. Alas its not that straightforward as they have returned disguised as vapes and the shop fronts that sell them have names like Candyland!
 
Don’t be surprised or baffled with growing cancer rates, chronic ill health and mental health problems when we continue to endorse the innocence of the culprit hiding in plain sight. 

Anne Maher