Next year, Michelle Obama’s rules for healthier alternative snacks and drinks will replace the other snacks and drinks in the vending machines at the schools. Not that she doesn’t have good intentions, but is it really better for you?

Replacing pop and Gatorade with diet and G2 or fruit juice is the healthier option. The amount of sugar in these choices is substantially lower than the amount in pop such as Cola or Mountain Dew, so yes it’s a good trade off. But here at AHS, students can’t have colored drinks in class, so we shouldn’t care right? Wrong.

Student council’s main profit source is the vending machines at the school, averaging “about two hundred dollars a week” according to student council advisor, Amy Varner. Now, the club has to find another fundraiser, and if you’ve ever had to find a fundraiser you know how taxing it is. If student council doesn’t have the money that means no student council sponsored activities.

Putting diet pop in the schools might still be a considerably bad decision. If you aren’t familiar with aspartame, it’s an artificial sweetener used in things such as diet pop. It’s rumored to cause cancer. This has not been proven yet, but a recent study shows that the risk for people for getting cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma, especially in males, is increased. There are statements saying that aspartame has no risk, but I’m not taking any chances. I’d rather drink regular pop and exercise a little than worry about my risks of getting cancer.

In addition to the change in drinks, Mrs. Obama’s law also changes food. Here at AHS food is not allowed in class, but students would be lying if they said they have never eaten anything in class. In my opinion this should change because students don’t always have time to eat before school. Breakfast is in fact the most important meal of the day; therefore, students are sitting in class thinking about how hungry they are or how much time is left before they get to eat, they’re not paying attention. I’m not saying have a full gourmet meal with oatmeal, an apple, some toast and a pitcher of orange juice, but a granola bar or a Poptart would suffice. One option would be having a vending machine with healthy choices, such as granola bars or fruit snacks. It would help a lot of students focus and give them the energy to finish the day strong, especially the student athletes of the school.

Overall Michelle Obama’s new school laws have positives and negatives. If students are going to eat junk food and drink sugary drinks, they’ll find ways to work around the system. Assistant principle Eric Oestman commented that overall it is a good idea, but there are certain processed foods that maybe are not the healthiest choice, “the more processed, the less healthier they get.” The fact that kids can’t bring in treats to the class won’t settle easily, especially to the fortunate little ones that still get a snack, juice and a nap everyday. It would just be easier to leave things the way they are.