It used to be that your parent would throw you into a bedroom with a sick sibling and that would get the job done.

On the evening news tonight it was reported that parents are preparing lollipops laced with the chicken pox.  They are not only giving it to their kids, but they are having pox parties.  Find a pox party sites are turning up on Facebook.  As you would expect this is now expanding into a business.  People are selling contaminated clothing items and lollipops through the mail.  Some lady advertised a $50 dollar lollipop covered with her kids saliva.  Ok? That is just plain gross.

What people don't know, aside from the unsanitary-ness of it all, is that doctors report that some kids when infected with chicken pox can get become gravely ill.  The assumption is that it is better to get the disease naturally--especially as a young child, versus the inoculation.

Whatever the science, it's just plain gross to imagine having a lollipop covered in a disease.  What flavor would you call the lollipops? Itchy pink? Scabby red?  I call it insane.  I will never be able to look longingly at a tootsie roll pop ever again!