VINTAGE SODA My worst canned drinks and my favouri…—woody1778a (Flickr.com)
New York City may soon become the first city in the world in which a soda ban is implemented.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants to discourage people from drinking too much soda, so he has proposed a 16-ounce-per-serving limit for sodas in restaurants and fast foods. His action implies that he blames soda consumption as one of the top causes of obesity in his city.
Critics have quickly voiced their opinion, saying the limit would only encourage New Yorkers to order two instead of one serving of soda.
The following article, written by Samantha Gross of the Associated Press, looks into Mayor Bloomberg’s proposal and the criticisms being hurled against it this early.
Soda Ban: Time to Discover Alternative Beverages
In his latest effort to fight obesity in this era of Big Gulps and triple bacon cheeseburgers, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is proposing an unprecedented ban on large servings of soda and other sugary drinks at restaurants, delis, sports arenas and movie theaters.
Drinks would be limited to 16 ounces, which is considered a small serving at many fast-food joints.
It is the first time an American city has directly attempted to limit soda portion sizes, and the soft-drink industry and others bitterly accused the three-term mayor of creating a “nanny state” and robbing New Yorkers of the right to decide for themselves.
The ban is expected to win approval from the Bloomberg-appointed Board of Health and take effect as soon as March.
It wouldn’t affect diet soda, any drink that’s at least 70 percent juice, or one that is at least half milk or milk substitute. Nor would it apply to drinks sold in many supermarkets or convenience stores. Businesses would face fines of $200 per failed inspection.
Bloomberg said people who want to guzzle soda would still be free to order more than one drink. But he said restricting servings to 16 ounces each could help curb consumption.
Under Bloomberg, New York has campaigned aggressively against obesity, outlawing trans fats in french fries and other restaurant food and forcing chain restaurants to list calories on menus. The mayor has also led efforts to ban smoking in the city’s bars, restaurants, parks and beaches.
Given that you can’t buy a 32-ounce serving but you can buy two 16-ounce ones, “a court might say that all it does is help the cup industry by making people buy more cups,” said John Humbach, a professor at Pace Law School. But he called that approach “a long shot.” Original story here.
If you are upset by the soda ban proposal, you might be a “soda addict” or perhaps a fierce advocate of the freedom choice (or both). But there’s no getting around the fact that soda pop contains a huge amount of sugar. You’re much better off avoiding soda and drinking water, herbal teas, or other beverages that are tasty, but healthy. Why not make up your own mind, and try a DIY (do-it-yourself) soda ban?
Now is the time to rediscover old choices for beverages. Try delicious health drinks. Check out our healthly drinks category for more information.
Related Information
Obesity in the United States – Soda Ban – Under pressure from parents and anti-obesity advocates many school districts moved to ban sodas junk foods and candy from vending.…
Obesity in France - In September 2005 France passed a law banning soda-and-snack-selling vending machines from public schools and misleading television and.…
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