16 Ounce Limit On Soft Drinks In New York

When I first heard of Mayor Bloomberg's proposal to limit the size of sugary soft drinks that could be sold in New York to 16 ounces,  I thought to myself that I didn't want anyone telling me what size drink I could buy.  Of course Bloomberg's motive is to make consumers more aware of what they are drinking, how much they are drinking, and what it is ultimately doing to their bodies.  If someone really needs more, they can buy 2-16 ounce Cokes.  The proof is out there.  We are killing ourselves with sugar and fast food.  Other than American Samoa, where 93%  of the people are overweight, we are the fattest nation in the world.  67% of our  people are overweight.

What all this means is that in the not too distant future, Type 2 Diabetes will be commonplace among teens.  Heart and vascular disease will continue to rise, and health costs will reach astronomical numbers.  If you think health care costs are high now, just imagine what they'll be in 20 years when half our population will be diabetic. 

Sometimes the government has to step in and propose things for its people that they aren't doing for themselves.  It's for the good of the whole.  Trying to curb the drinking of sodas is meant to help people control their sugar intake.  It's a small step, and it can't solve the problem, but it just might raise people's consciousness.

If you are among those that don't want government telling you what to do (and I include myself in that group) think of these things that the government has told us we must do.  Think of what life was like before government instituted these restrictions, or rules.  They were made for the good of the people.

1.  Seat belts....how many lives have been saved by seatbelts.  Remember the resistance at the beginning?  Now no one would think of getting in a car without a seatbelt.

2.  School vaccinations...again, these were mandated by the government to protect each individual child and all children from certain illnesses.  Today, except for some religious exceptions, we accept this and are happy to comply.

3.  Ban on smoking....This one was fought for years, but now everyone accepts that smoking is bad for you and you should not expose people to the risks of second hand smoke.

4.  Canvas bags for shopping...Solana Beach just imposed an ordinance that requires people to bring their own bags to the market, rather than use the paper or plastic that was traditionally used.  The environmental reasons are obvious.  Some people have been providing their own bags for years, but others simply would not convert.  Now they must, and in time, it will become second nature.  This is another ordinance imposed by government that will be for the betterment of everyone.

So back to the 16 ounce soda.  I reconsidered what at first glance looked to be an infringement on my right to drink a Big Gulp and realized that sometimes the government must step in and put restrictions in place that some might not like.  Most of these are implemented to improve the health and safety of all citizens.  We are a nation of laws, most of which are meant to protect the health and safety of the people.  Those that are implemented that don't work out, like prohibition, are repealed. 

If our schools would stop selling soft drinks all together, stop serving our children such calorie laden, fat laden breakfasts and lunches, and provide our kids with some healthy food choices, we'd be headed in the right direction.   There's so much to do to get children on the right path toward good nutrition.  Mayor Bloomberg's proposal is only a small step in a giant problem.