A Black Market in Coke Will Soon Develop in Michigan

College students at the University of Michigan clearly don't have enough homework if they've got time to worry about the Coca-Cola company's effect on the environment in India. Thanks to their worries, it's no Coke for you at UM:

A cold Coke will be harder to find for University of Michigan students when they return to campuses in Ann Arbor, Flint and Dearborn after holiday break.

The university on Jan. 1 will suspend more than a dozen contracts worth about $1.4 million with Coca-Cola Co. in response to student complaints alleging human rights violations and hazardous environmental practices by the soft drink giant in its Colombia and India operations.

The university attempted to investigate the complaints that would conflict with the schools Vendor Code of Conduct — rules for the ethical behavior of contactors enacted by the university in 2004. U-M already confirmed some environmental violations in India, and the school pulled the plug on renewing all contracts when the company said it was unable to meet a Dec. 31 deadline to cooperate in an investigation of circumstances in Colombia.

“I'm sure some people will be angry,” said Lindsey Rogers, 20, a U-M sophomore from Rochester. “But a lot of students will be excited and happy that our university is taking a stand. It's about being on the cutting edge of social responsibility and upholding their standards.”

No caffeine deprived student trying to stay awake while cramming for an exam is going to give a rat's behind about Coke's practices in India and Columbia. Some enterprising entrepreneur will probably start his own little Coke operation on campus and will reap the profits that could have gone to the school. The free market will win out.