Sending a bad message

I saw a very disturbing sign in the window of a convenience store last night on my way back to the office. It was advertising a drink called Sipping Syrup. For those of you not familiar with the syrup phenomenon, I'm not talking about the yummy goo we pour on top of our pancakes.

Syrup, on the street, refers to a mixture of codeine (usually from cough syrup) mixed with a carbonated drink, such as Sprite or 7-up. The drink was popularized by Houston's own DJ Screw who produced mix tapes that slowed the music down to something less than a crawl.

The list of rappers and DJ's who have died as a result of sipping syrup include the afore-mentioned DJ Screw, Pimp C and Big Moe (all from the Houston area).

Just what we need, a beverage designed to look like an illegal narcotic. A massive disservice to our children - and all for a buck.