Cambridge Wants to Outlaw Coca Cola

[Hum]

The hometown of Harvard University has declared a war on carbonation.

The mayor of Cambridge, Mass. introduced a policy resolution that would ban soft drinks and sugar-sweetened beverages in restaurants.

The ban is similar to one that was recently proposed by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. That policy would ban any bottled soft drinks more than 16 ounces. The city is also considering limitations on popcorn and milkshakes.

However, the actual resolution calls for a complete ban on soft drinks.

?Whereas New York City has a plan to limit the serving size of soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages sold in restaurants; now therefore bit it ordered that the City Manager be and hereby is requested to refer the matter of a ban on soda and sugar sweetened beverages in restaurants to the Cambridge Public Health Department for a recommendation,? the resolution read.

?In addition to being an obesity threat, soda is one of the contributing factors to an increasing rate of diabetes and heart disease amongst younger people,? Mayor Henrietta Davis told the Boston Globe. ?

And just like the New York City proposal, the Cambridge proposal is fizzing out with residents.

?This is not a size restriction,? Katz said. ?They?re talking about an all-out ban. It?s Big Mommy Government.?

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[TheLegendOfMart]

I don't want the government to legislate away personal responsibility.

I am a fatty and if fatties want to eat/drink let them, they will die early, problem solved.

[.Neo]

Instead of trying to make all things that could be potentially harmful to a person's health illegal - which is just about everything in large enough quantities - governments should invest more money and effort in educating people. The alternative is a situation where they end up banning 99% of all goods currently available to us. I'd prefer a situation where I'm allowed to think for myself and drink

or snore

Coke once in a while fully knowing it's not the most healthy stuff in existence.

:p

[Marshall Veteran]

I don't want the government to legislate away personal responsibility.

I am a fatty and if fatties want to eat/drink let them, they will die early, problem solved.

Meanwhile, you "fatties" are stimulating the fast food and restaurant industry into larger portions that affects otherwise healthy people.

[Timan Veteran]

Pft, make a healthy alternative that is just as addicting :p

[pack34]

Meanwhile, you "fatties" are stimulating the fast food and restaurant industry into larger portions that affects otherwise healthy people.

Then exercise some personal responsibility and not eat the whole thing. Split it with a friend at a table, box up half of it and take it home for dinner tomorrow, or just toss it. No one is pointing a gun to your head to eat it all.

[Hum]

I am a fatty and if fatties want to eat/drink let them, they will die early, problem solved.

Yes, but on the way to your grave you are costing me taxes for your medical treatments -- and I have less money to buy pizza ! :p

[xbamaris]

Meanwhile, you "fatties" are stimulating the fast food and restaurant industry into larger portions that affects otherwise healthy people.

Oh please, get over yourself.

[Marshall Veteran]

Then exercise some personal responsibility and not eat the whole thing. Split it with a friend at a table, box up half of it and take it home for dinner tomorrow, or just toss it. No one is pointing a gun to your head to eat it all.

Who said I eat the whole thing? Perhaps you and I have something that most American people lack...willpower.

But why should I have to pay for mass portions when I'm only going to eat half of it?

[threetonesun]

I don't want the government to legislate away personal responsibility.

I am a fatty and if fatties want to eat/drink let them, they will die early, problem solved.

Fat people usually die slowly and painfully (relatively speaking). You'd think that would be enough of a deterrent, but apparently no.

What's ridiculous about this measure though is that Massachusetts (and the Boston area in specific), is relatively healthy.

[Buttus]

gives a new meaning to a 'coke runner'... maybe it'll be like prohibition, bathtub coke and pepsi! LOL

[ANON86364]

This argument has already been had here. And my argument is the same: Big brother policing is never a solution to any problem. Education is. There is always going to be something for people to overly consume so banning one measly product does nothing but undermine our freedom and capitalism.

[Sadelwo]

gives a new meaning to a 'coke runner'... maybe it'll be like prohibition, bathtub coke and pepsi! LOL

Reminds me of that SouthPark episode where the town banned KFC...

[Glassed Silver]

Sell the Coke sans sugar and hand out bags of sugar separately.

Problem solved :p

It's Kool-Aid all over LOL :laugh:

Glassed Silver:mac

[McKay]

[Noir Angel]

Meanwhile, you "fatties" are stimulating the fast food and restaurant industry into larger portions that affects otherwise healthy people.

Yeah, I mean it's not as if you have the choice not to eat there, or not to eat all of a meal if you can't manage it... right?

[123456789A]

Instead of trying to make all things that could be potentially harmful to a person's health illegal - which is just about everything in large enough quantities - governments should invest more money and effort in educating people. The alternative is a situation where they end up banning 99% of all goods currently available to us. I'd prefer a situation where I'm allowed to think for myself and drink

or snore

Coke once in a while fully knowing it's not the most healthy stuff in existence.

:p

I agree with you about the not regulating part, but when it comes to educating people, I don't know how much good it would do here. People already know what junk food is and the effects it has. Same goes for smoking, alcohol, etc., yet people still consume these things in excess. Maybe there just has to be an incentive (besides not slowly killing yourself) for avoiding these things?

[+Eternal Tempest MVC]

I don't want the government to legislate away personal responsibility.

I am a fatty and if fatties want to eat/drink let them, they will die early, problem solved.

I don't have a good answer to the problem, however, people with health issues cost society money at the tail end, so we are essence already paying for it now.

This is a difficult situation, do agree about education, targeting food deserts, tackling food industries money (such as getting pop out of schools, for example), trying to get high fructose corn syrup to be used less (which is cheaper in sugar due in part to the US suger industy is one of the least "protected" industries in the US from imports). Find ways to get healthier food cheaper, vs the dirt cheap unhealthy food.In addition, there some other things you have to take a look at, it could be related to an medical condition that not been caught.

Edited June 21, 2012 by Jason Stillion

[Anibal P]

I agree with you about the not regulating part, but when it comes to educating people, I don't know how much good it would do here. People already know what junk food is and the effects it has. Same goes for smoking, alcohol, etc., yet people still consume these things in excess. Maybe there just has to be an incentive (besides not slowly killing yourself) for avoiding these things?

Why? It's your body, do whatever you want with it, same with my body, I'll do as I see fit to do with it, it's no one else's problem or responsibility so stay the F away

[Twiddle]

Time to stock up on Cola... :shiftyninja:

I got the good stuff man, not that crap RC Cola...

[McKay]

Yeah, I mean it's not as if you have the choice not to eat there, or not to eat all of a meal if you can't manage it... right?

[ahhell]

How dare they go against their corporate masters!!!

They should be ashamed of themselves!!!

[TheLegendOfMart]

Oh dear at the people with the age old "....my taxes are paying for xxxxx....", they aren't YOUR taxes, they are the government taxes and they spend it however they please.

It also makes me laugh the backlash I am getting, according to my BMI Im borderline normal weight/slightly overweight, I am a bit podgy but I'm not morbidly obese by any stretch of the imagination so keep your comments to yourself about how its my fault portions are getting bigger.

[dead.cell]

Call me sick and twisted all you like, but I say leave them be. The world is getting overpopulated, and if they want to shovel grease, fat, and sugars down their throats, let them.

I love helping folks out and all, but if they don't care, why should we?

[sanctified Veteran]

Knowing I will be severly flamed by many here I'd like tho share this comprehensive and very well researched article about how obesity affects Earth's resources and global economy.

http://newsfeedresearcher.com/data/articles_m25/population-people-obesity.html