Salon.com > soda ban

A salon on Mayor Bloomberg’s big drink ban

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 18:34:00 +0000

Earlier this week a judge nixed New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposed ban on sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces. Bloomberg is arguably the most influential advocate for public health in the country. His 2003 ban on smoking in bars has been widely copied. More recently, his staunch advocacy for gun control and his bottomless pockets suggest he could take on the NRA. His soda ban, however, has even some supporters scratching their heads. Will it help to fight obesity? Why 16 ounces? Is it just too intrusive?

Mississippi passes “anti-Bloomberg” bill

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 19:01:00 +0000

More trouble for Michael Bloomberg's soda ban: Mississippi's governor is considering an "anti-Bloomberg bill" that would ban limits on soda size, among other things.

The bill, which passed out of the state House and Senate, would bar cities and towns from implementing any rules that would require calorie counts be posted, that limit portion sizes, or that stop toys from being included in kids' meals.

NPR reports:

The bill is expected to be signed by Gov. Phil Bryant, a Republican. It was the subject of intense lobbying by groups including the restaurant association, the small business and beverage group, and the chicken farmers' lobby.

Mike Cashion, executive director the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association, says the bill is a direct reaction to Bloomberg-style government intervention in public health.

"If you look at how menus have changed, whether it be in fast food or family dining, you are seeing more and more healthy options," Cashion says. "Not because of legislative mandates or regulatory mandates, but because of consumer demand. Our industry has always been one to respond to the marketplace."

Sorry, Bloomberg, NYC continues to supersize

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:44:00 +0000

Keep drinking, New York. On Monday, just one day before Mayor Bloomberg's controversial ban on supersize sugary drinks was to go into effect, a state Supreme Court judge struck it down.

You can imagine El Bloombito's disappointment. Mike Bloomberg has had stunning previous successes with his health-focused initiatives — a 2008 ban on trans fats in restaurants paved the way for significant changes in food preparation across the country, and led to a large reduction in the amount of a heart-disease-promoting ingredient in our foods. Two years ago, he restricted smoking in the city's parks, beaches and public spaces – and other cities have either followed suit or are now considering similar measures.

Breaking: Judge overturns NYC soda ban

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 19:46:00 +0000

A lawsuit filed by the National Restaurant Association and others argued that Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Board of Health illegally regulated beverage sizes, and a judge has invalidated the ban.

New York Supreme Court Judge Milton Tingling issued a permanent injunction barring the city from enforcing its drink regulations, calling them "fraught with arbitrary and capricious consequences. The simple reading of the rule leads to the earlier acknowledged uneven enforcement even within a particular city block, much less the city as a whole ... the loopholes in this rule effectively defeat the state purpose of the rule."

You can read the transcript of the full decision here.

[embedtweet id="311193341570195457"]