Make-Believe Drug Dealing in School Under Investigation

NEWTON, Mass. — Police and school officials Friday investigated reports of a game in which elementary school pupils bought make-believe drugs with make-believe money.

Police said that the complaint was made by a police officer whose son had told him of the pretend drug dealings in which pupils used flour as a substitute for heroin or cocaine, oregano for marijuana and hard white candy for illegal pills.

The youngsters paid for the phony drugs with Monopoly money, police said.

Officer Robert FitzPatrick said that his 10-year-old son and “practically the whole fifth grade” played the game. FitzPatrick’s was the only complaint received, police said.

“Basically, all we have now is one complaint from one parent from one student out of 223 pupils,” a police spokeswoman said. “We’ll be checking out the details next week.”