Large Sugary Drink Ban: Mayor Bloomberg Acts
Photos
Whatever one’s thoughts are about its legality or the likely effectiveness of the ban on large servings of sugary drinks instituted in New York City by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, he deserves great credit for his heart being in the right place.
The Bloomberg initiative, backed by many health experts, is a small measure encompassing but one area in which Americans go overboard, but it will likely cause some to give second thought to what they put into their bodies.
Our society has become woefully ignorant about our health. We consume excessive amounts of sugar, fats, salt, “junk” foods and beverages, alcohol, and tobacco without a care. No one should be surprised that we are increasingly a society composed of the obese and the sick, a new generation of individuals who, rather than rein in their bad habits, indulge them. Alarm bells should sound when we witness obesity and diabetes becoming increasingly prevalent among young people. When we become ill, we demand expensive, dangerous drugs to treat our symptoms. We spend more money per capita on health care than any other nation, yet we are among the sickest people on earth.
Government is responsible for footing the bill for an enormous amount of the nation’s burgeoning health care costs, and the Medicaid and Medicare programs are in grave peril, their promises unable to be fulfilled in the future without major reform.
For a host of reasons, we should act responsibly to preserve our health and our lives. Though it would be better if the hearts and minds of the people could be won through other means, Mayor Bloomberg has boldly stepped forward to require us to consider the issue. He deserves praise.
What do you think about Mayor Bloomberg's large-size sugary drink ban? Tell us in the comments.
Stephanie Davis
10:25 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
Controversial decision, but it was enacted for positive reasons. We drink little or no soda/sweet drinks in our house. However, i'm sure this ban would be even less welcome in states with higher rates of obesity.
Richard Cook
4:51 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
From our facebook page: Rosemary King Ridiculous! Just buy 2 or 3. Too much government.
Ed M
8:14 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
Why is the government involved our sugar intake?
Tom W.
10:33 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
What next no steaks over 3oz. Government stay out of my personal life, and quit telling private business what and how much of what they can sell.
seen2mch
12:35 am on Sunday, September 16, 2012
This is exactly the same way people sounded in the 60`s when the government took action because we were killing ourselves back then with cigarettes! Fast forward to today and it`s Type 2 diabetes as the consequence of our self-destructive behaviors. And I`ll just bet that the folks who are against this are also the same ones that want to repeal the new health care law and go to the polls and vote against their own best interests . To quote Forrest Gump..."stupid is as stupid does"!
SWYKLocal
6:35 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
@seen2mch,
What action did the government take with cigarettes? They didn’t ban them or regulate the number that could be purchased. I must admit your Forrest Gump quote “Stupid is as stupid does” fits this Mayor Bloomberg and his health board. This ban will do nothing to stop type 2 diabetes. For those who are in favor of the Affordable Care Act – this is a view of what’s to come. Remember, preventive care doesn’t prevent anything.
seen2mch
8:34 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
"preventive care doesn`t prevent anything"....Really? Is that quote from the Libertarian/Tea Party handbook? Now who is gettin stupid? Chill out and stop by Sheetz and get yourself one of those giant sugary drinks . You better hope Medicare still exists when you get older. Oh,and the Surgeon General had a huge campaign to educate all Americans on the dangers of smoking....thats the action I referred to.
SWYKLocal
8:50 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
Cigarettes and other tobacco products are sold, used, taxed and they certainly have caused great harm to many people.
You seem to be an intelligent person; think about it, preventive care suggests that by showing up at a medical care facility will prevent you from contracting cancer, a cold, the flu. How silly, I do agree that if you are lucky enough to have an issue that is treatable when diagnosed early you regular doctors will have paid off. But your visits didn’t prevent you from contracting the problem in the first place.
I will refrain from making a reference to the handbook from which your post was derived.
seen2mch
9:26 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
Maybe you should refrain from attacking anyone who has a diiferent opinion or ideology . A bad habit that people who share your ideology seem to have in spades. While you folks whine and complain about your individual freedoms being eroded you never seem to be concerned about others freedom of speech being shouted down or stifled,do ya?
KnowledgeisPower
10:17 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
the most dangerous thing to a democracy is an uninformed delegation...
Jason Bahr
10:30 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
Quit butting into mine and my family's personal lives - it is none of your business!!! I hope you live to be 150 years old - I honestly do. But my life expectancy is my business. If you see me in a burning car – I’d appreciate you helping me out – I’d risk my life to help pull you out. I truly would. I am a good person, I mind my own business, love my wife, take care of my kids, go to work, take care of my house, pay my taxes. But if I am quenching a thirst with a soda – GO ABOUT YOUR LIFE AND LEAVE MINE ALONE FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!! You guys are relentless – how the heck do you even sleep at night worrying about every single nuance in other people’s lives. I am totally happy – quit trying to screw things up.
SWYKLocal
9:52 am on Tuesday, September 18, 2012
@seen2mch
All of us who post here are exercising our Freedom of Speech (within the guidelines of the Patch posting rules of course). I am pretty sure if my post was construed as an attack it would have been removed. Freedom of speech allows each of us to express our views and hopefully we can gain insight from the views exchanged by other posters. It doesn’t mean we have to agree.
A lot of Americans gave their lives for our freedoms. The government works for us, we don’t work for them. Mayor Bloomberg has no business regulating “Large Sugary Drinks” and if the people of New York City allow him to get away with it, then shame on them.