It was only a matter of time – limiting the size of sugary drinks in New York City was an inevitable slippery slope leading to more targets for “nanny state” consumer consumption regulation.
Before the drink limitations have even been approved, the board appointed by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is already considering popcorn and milkshakes as the next offenders- all in the name of fighting obesity in the city, a New York’s Fox affiliate station reported.
At a Tuesday meeting in Queens, the New York City Board of Health worked to move forward with the drink regulations by initiating a six-week public comment period. Should the rule be approved, food service establishments in the city would be prohibited from serving sugary drinks bigger than 16 ounces, but refills would still be allowed.
Fox reported that committee members have already begun suggesting other foods to limit. One member thinks movie theater popcorn sizes are already out of hand, and equally unhealthy as sodas. Another suggested that milkshakes and milk-coffee beverages are also calorie-laden, and should come under fire along with sodas.
What’s next? What about other high-calorie New York favorites such as New York style pizza, hot dogs or bagels? Surely those can’t be good for you either.
The proposal is already causing quite a stir among residents and people across the country who don’t think the government should be allowed to regulate what Americans eat – even if it may be for their own good. A Quinnipiac University poll indicated that New Yorker opinions are opposed to the rule, but only by a small margin, with 51 – 46 against the proposed rule.Naturally, among the most dedicated opponents of the rule is the New York City Restaurant Association, which is exploring legal options should the rule become a reality.
Follow Elise RambaudMarrion on Twitter@emarrion_cmn.
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