Not Funny

White powder means different things to different people. Right now, in the Nation's Capital area, it means possible anthrax. There have been several incidents of white powder hoaxes. Frustrated citizens have protested traffic tickets by including talc powder with their payment and people have played some practical jokes.

These are not funny. Instead, these are being treated as crimes with full investigations - and prosecutions. The citizen who thought he was getting even by enclosing some baby powder with his traffic ticket finds himself under arrest. So don't let anyone in your institution get any not-so-clever ideas about giving "a little scare" to those nasty regulators. The consequences will not be amusing to anyone!

Copyright © 2002 Compliance Action. Originally appeared in Compliance Action, Vol. 6, No. 16, 1/02