Editorial: Voting for health

Monday, May 17, 2004 | 8:59 a.m.

If the School Board follows through on votes taken last week, June 17 will be a banner day for health in the Clark County School District. On Thursday the board voted to prohibit smoking at all campuses and district facilities, even in district-owned vehicles and at sporting and other events. Currently, smoking is allowed by faculty and other employees within designated areas. Also on Thursday the board voted to follow a national trend and ban the sale of junk food. The ban would extend to vending machines and campus snack bars, which are now stocked with candy, cookies, ice cream, potato chips, sugary sodas and the like.

The smoking ban, of course, is a no-brainer. With all that's known about the harmful effects of tobacco, there obviously shouldn't be a whiff of smoke anywhere within sight or smell of students. The same holds true for junk food, especially with all that's been printed and televised lately about the obesity crisis overtaking millions of Americans -- particularly those of school age. Blame is being placed on the omnipresence of junk food -- it's hard for anyone to escape it anymore. Schools, however, do not have to be part of the problem.

For the bans to become policy, they need two affirmative votes by the School Board. The next vote is scheduled for June 17. We we hope the resolve of the board members remains strong.