16 oz. Soda Ban Approved By NYC Board of Health

I don't think anyone's going to argue against greater availability of health food on campus, as long as the costs for implementing that aren't passed directly to the students along with those ever-rising tuition fees. But by the time that gets to be politically feasible, I think it likely that fast food will be doing it themselves anyway, once appropriately profitable carrots are dangled.

For example, Mc Donalds already HAS salads on its menu - along with apple slices, oatmeal and whatnot as alternatives to the unhealthy stuff. We should be encouraging more real choice in menus like that by setting up proper business incentives, not by trying to attack the consumers.

Furthermore, I think Guantanamo must be destroyed.

I agree with taxing Big Gulps and fast food in general, but not with banning it; the ban runs right into my natural right to wreck my body however I want. The tax makes sense due to medical costs; our society ultimately pays for people's unhealthy choices, so people should have to pay society back (especially if we go to single-payer healthcare).

And yes, I can drink a liter of soda at one meal. That way, I can refill the cup for my walk home!

-looks at 64oz diet coke, looks back at computer-

I drink like two of those a day. I'm a diet coke fiend.

But I also exercise and eat relatively healthy meals too. I do a decent job taking care of myself and reserve the right to drink as much diet coke as I please.

@Karkadinn: The problem is that despite these options being made more available, people are still choosing to purchase the junk on the menu. Ergo, taxing the junk would be effective to nudge people into choosing the healthier options.

@Ramidel: That's why I think that unlimited refills on soft drinks is a terrible idea.

edited 14th Sep '12 10:28:39 AM by DrunkGirlfriend

"I don't know how I do it. I'm like the Mr. Bean of sex." -Drunkscriblerian

Why do people need to be nudged into choosing the healthier options?

edited 14th Sep '12 10:37:14 AM by C0mraid

Am I a good man or a bad man?

Because public health concerns.

You can't even write racist abuse in excrement on somebody's car without the politically correct brigade jumping down your throat!

Well, that's still debated. However, one idea that's being bantered around is that junk food is psychologically addictive, because the high amounts of fat trigger the pleasure centers of your brain.

edited 14th Sep '12 10:38:08 AM by DrunkGirlfriend

"I don't know how I do it. I'm like the Mr. Bean of sex." -Drunkscriblerian

So will someone explain to me why it's a problem if someone willingly chooses to eat fattening, greasy, junk food or drink sugary drinks?

And I mean a real "this is a danger to society" reason, not this hippie/Orwellian "But it's so bad for you and we're only nudging you on the path to a better life" thing.

And if we are so deeply concerned for the good of the people, why is organic food hella expensive? Why, in NYC, are parks and playgrounds constantly either left in utter disrepair or else the land is given to condo developers? Why are gym memberships akin to another rent payment? Why does most insurance not cover gym memberships; or even regular check-ups?

Like I said, I know totalitarianism when I see it. And let's cut the Godwin crap; in the Bronx we have a saying..if the shoe fits...

And furthermore, Bloomberg being Jewish has no bearing on him being a tyrant, in case anybody was confused.

It was an honor

I don't know. 1 liter of water, 16oz of milk, 4-6 servings of caffeinated beverages... 16 oz of soda doesn't sound so crazy to me.

With respect to rats, junk food has cocaine-like effects.

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

@DG: our campus has like 1 fast food burger joint and 6 bagel/sandwich stores surrounding. The closest fast food restaurant to me is a halal Somalian place.

edited 14th Sep '12 10:49:20 AM by ohsointocats

@Starship: Well, for one, it creates a lot of wasted money. According to this health care costs are 30% higher for obese individuals than those who are at a healthy weight, as well as causing a 27% gain in healthcare spending in the US since 1987.

Fast food also predominately targets children, causing them to develop a skewed perspective of healthy eating habits at a young age, causing a 20% growth in obesity among children.

It's also created a large corporate structure that's capable of undercutting healthy local restaurants to force them out of business, and they have a powerful lobby that's capable of persuading the government to continue heavily subsidizing beef, corn, and soy instead of giving equal subsidies light meats, organic stuff, and other vegetables.

And so on. It's a big deal.

@Cats: Then why don't you go to the bagel/sandwich shops?

edited 14th Sep '12 10:52:45 AM by DrunkGirlfriend

"I don't know how I do it. I'm like the Mr. Bean of sex." -Drunkscriblerian

@maxima: well, one reason is the increased tax burden on everyone for the healthcare costs of those individuals.

Did I ever say I didn't?

And once again, I ask, if we're so allegedly concerned about the health costs, then why is a 12 oz bottle of pomegranate juice equivalent to 3 cans of Pepsi? Why are Whole Foods stores so expensive?

Why is it that health insurance providers don't cover regular checkups that would catch cholesterol problems early on? Why are the best gyms and playgrounds in "well-off" areas? Why are gym programs being cut in schools?

See, I could readily buy that line of "Well, we're concerned about how this affects other taxpayers", if I actually saw some real concern for other taxpayers.

Right now, all I see is concern for egos.

edited 14th Sep '12 10:57:02 AM by TheStarshipMaxima

It was an honor

Thats why most serious efforts suggest a food tax to subsidize the cost of eating healthy whiler also taxing heavily unhealthy food.

Stuff like whole foods costs more because it isnt mass-manufactured on the cheap.

@Cats: Well, you were talking about how healthy food is impossible to get.

@Starship: Because subsidies, which are enforced by the fast food lobby (and other lobbies).

Look at how little is being spent on "other crops" in comparison to corn. Even dairy (and by extension, beef) is subsidized more than "other crops".

In a more visual sense look at this chart.◊

As far as health insurance not covering stuff goes, those tight bastards aren't going to pay out a dime more than they have to.

edited 14th Sep '12 11:02:02 AM by DrunkGirlfriend

"I don't know how I do it. I'm like the Mr. Bean of sex." -Drunkscriblerian

That's my problem Midget, it seems like all the "serious" efforts involve penalizing the people who's only crime is making do with the shit options you leave in front of them, while conveniently assailing civil liberty.

You want to prove there's actual concern to back up all your rhetoric? Let me see a tax-credit given to local organic food stores, on the condition they use the credit to lower prices. Start bitching at health insurers to offer discounts off of premiums and copays if someone joins a gym. Tax McDonald's, Burger King, and the other fast food joints and use the revenue to provide whole wheat toast and fresh vegetables in school lunches.

You know, instead of talking a bunch of shit, actually backing it up with action more meaningful than "Let's kick the people who don't have the means to kick back."

edited 14th Sep '12 11:02:30 AM by TheStarshipMaxima

It was an honor

Sandwich shops are even less likely to sell salads than Mc Donalds. I would also not consider most sandwiches to be healthy.

Also the complaint is the comparison of soda to juice, which is still a problem at those restaurants.

@Starship: Except that's how we do stuff in America. We already tax the heck out of cigarettes and alchohol because "health concerns", and obesity is worse for you than smoking, drinking, or living in poverty so I don't see the difference.

@Cats: Juice is usually terrible for you too. Also, is there some reason why you can't drink water?

edited 14th Sep '12 11:06:09 AM by DrunkGirlfriend

"I don't know how I do it. I'm like the Mr. Bean of sex." -Drunkscriblerian

[Blank]

edited 14th Sep '12 11:08:12 AM by RocketDude

"Hipsters: the most dangerous gang in the US." - Pacific Mackerel

Because I drink absurd amounts of water and it tastes shitty with meals.

There's also tea. Once again, taxing (or even banning) soda isn't going to kill anyone, and might have some benefits. You do not need soda to live. If anything, it's slowly killing you.

edited 14th Sep '12 11:10:22 AM by DrunkGirlfriend

"I don't know how I do it. I'm like the Mr. Bean of sex." -Drunkscriblerian

That doesn't address my point that if the government wanted to help people, they could. Taxes do nothing but take more money from the middle class and put it in the government's coffers.

I'm suggesting that you actully make real and effective changes in the model so that people can choose less fattening foods.

It was an honor