Sugary Drinks Banned in San Francisco

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Sugary-drink ban starts to affect S.F. sites

Coca-Cola is out, and soy milk is now part of San Francisco's official city policy.

Under an executive order from Mayor Gavin Newsom, Coke, Pepsi and Fanta Orange are no longer allowed in vending machines on city property, although their diet counterparts are - up to a point.

Newsom's directive, issued in April but whose practical impacts are starting to be felt now, bars calorically sweetened beverages from vending machines on city property.

That includes non-diet sodas, sports drinks and artificially sweetened water. Juice must be 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice with no added sweeteners. Diet sodas can be no more than 25 percent of the items offered, the directive says.

There should be "ample choices" of water, "soy milk, rice milk and other similar dairy or non dairy milk," says the directive, which also covers fat and sugar content in vending machine snacks.

It's all part of Newsom's effort to combat obesity and improve San Franciscans' health, similar to a national effort being championed by first lady Michelle Obama.

The mayor's administration points to studies linking soda to obesity, including a UCLA one released last year that found adults who drink at least one soft drink a day are 27 percent more likely to be obese than those who don't, and that soda consumption is fueling the state's $41 billion annual obesity problem. The study also found that 41 percent of children and 62 percent of teens drink at least one soda daily.

"There's a direct link between what people eat and drink and the obesity and health care crises in this country," Newsom spokesman Tony Winnicker said. "It's entirely appropriate and not at all intrusive for city government to take steps to discourage the sale of sugary sodas on city property."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/07/05/BAMU1E8QKR.DTL#ixzz0t7UPmx5L

[Scott & Lai 12]

Sugary-drink ban starts to affect S.F. sites

Coca-Cola is out, and soy milk is now part of San Francisco's official city policy.

Under an executive order from Mayor Gavin Newsom, Coke, Pepsi and Fanta Orange are no longer allowed in vending machines on city property, although their diet counterparts are - up to a point.

Newsom's directive, issued in April but whose practical impacts are starting to be felt now, bars calorically sweetened beverages from vending machines on city property.

That includes non-diet sodas, sports drinks and artificially sweetened water. Juice must be 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice with no added sweeteners. Diet sodas can be no more than 25 percent of the items offered, the directive says.

There should be "ample choices" of water, "soy milk, rice milk and other similar dairy or non dairy milk," says the directive, which also covers fat and sugar content in vending machine snacks.

It's all part of Newsom's effort to combat obesity and improve San Franciscans' health, similar to a national effort being championed by first lady Michelle Obama.

The mayor's administration points to studies linking soda to obesity, including a UCLA one released last year that found adults who drink at least one soft drink a day are 27 percent more likely to be obese than those who don't, and that soda consumption is fueling the state's $41 billion annual obesity problem. The study also found that 41 percent of children and 62 percent of teens drink at least one soda daily.

"There's a direct link between what people eat and drink and the obesity and health care crises in this country," Newsom spokesman Tony Winnicker said. "It's entirely appropriate and not at all intrusive for city government to take steps to discourage the sale of sugary sodas on city property."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/07/05/BAMU1E8QKR.DTL#ixzz0t7UPmx5L

I'm confused...I thought the Left was supposed to be all about choice and liberty

[Peikko 1,575]

Is stuffing a vending machine full of high fructose corn syrup products and carcenogenic zero cal products 'choice'? Not in my book. Presumably the government can decide what types of 'food choices' they allow on their property - making these choices primarily healthy ones doesn't seem particularly limiting to me - after all, these things are still available in stores everywhere.

[Mags 112]

They'll be banning custard next.

Heaven forfend!

[Peikko 1,575]

They'll be banning custard next.

Heaven forfend!

Custard shouldn't be allowed in a vending machine, period.

[^_^ 5,021]

Custard shouldn't be allowed in a vending machine, period.

[dakay ♥ 10]

It's all part of Newsom's effort to combat obesity and improve San Franciscans' health, similar to a national effort being championed by first lady Michelle Obama.

People can still buy soda in the store and drink it in almost any public place that allows food and beverages.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

There's still plenty of choice, isn't there? The city chooses not to promote sugary beverages. Other venues will choose to continue to offer them. What's the big deal?

Edited July 8, 2010 by Mr. Big Dog

[The_Dude 1,142]

This is America. How dare they take away my choice to poison myself with high calorie, zero nutrient filled drinks and snacks. This is an outrage and an assault to the constitution!!

[Susita 175]

Is stuffing a vending machine full of high fructose corn syrup products and carcenogenic zero cal products 'choice'? Not in my book. Presumably the government can decide what types of 'food choices' they allow on their property - making these choices primarily healthy ones doesn't seem particularly limiting to me - after all, these things are still available in stores everywhere.

Everyone is well aware of how bad that sugary ####### is for you and they still consume it and feed it to their kids

Everyone has a choice and people are not stupid or ignorant they just don't care. The pediatrician tells me how bad this stuff is for the kids and to limit it, etc like he does with all the other parents, but do you think they all listen to his advice? Nope.

I make my choices, and yet I walk out of my office and there's a vending machine filled with ####### and I choose not to buy it.

The city has the right to sell or not sell whatever they want though.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Everyone is well aware of how bad that sugary ####### is for you and they still consume it and feed it to their kids

Everyone has a choice and people are not stupid or ignorant they just don't care. The pediatrician tells me how bad this stuff is for the kids and to limit it, etc like he does with all the other parents, but do you think they all listen to his advice? Nope.

I make my choices, and yet I walk out of my office and there's a vending machine filled with ####### and I choose not to buy it.

The city has the right to sell or not sell whatever they want though.

No offense, but that simply isn't true. There are millions of people who don't comprehend that everything in a vending machine is bad for you. They see "0 trans fat" and think that a bag of chips isn't bad for you. Or that a soft drink is diet or low sugar and think that it is ok. My favorite is the people who think gatorade is good for you. Yes, it has some nutrients, but it also has a lot of calories, and the same or more sugar than a bottle of coca cola.

[Mags 112]

Custard shouldn't be allowed in a vending machine, period.

Well, sometimes the need overtakes one.

[The_Dude 1,142]

I guess you're right about that. There are some people who don't comprehend... It still boggles my mind though I still think most people are aware of how bad certain things like soda and HI-C, candy, salty chips and all that garbage is for you though.

When the boys were at a birthday party not too long ago I saw someone giving their 1 year old baby soda in a sippy cup They had to know that was wrong and did it anyway

I really don't think that most people fully comprehend that anything that comes in a vending machine, or any junk food is bad for you. The concept that varying degrees of bad is lost on some and quite often confused.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Don't worry, things like this are just the start. San Antonio is doing the same thing.

Eventually any public place will be disallowed from selling sodas, then if any private business wants to sell soda, they'll have to charge a $2 SIN TAX!!!! on it.

Remember though, this is 'progressive'

[IndigoSkies 168]

Don't worry, things like this are just the start. San Antonio is doing the same thing.

Eventually any public place will be disallowed from selling sodas, then if any private business wants to sell soda, they'll have to charge a $2 SIN TAX!!!! on it.

Remember though, this is 'progressive'

Is that a bad thing? Things that are harmful should be difficult to buy if not impossible.