The folly of Bloomberg’s soda ban
The city’s lawyers argued in court that the Board of Health could hand down the new soda rule because it has broad powers to fight disease. But there is a difference between an outbreak of a deadly communicable disease that has people dropping in the streets and excessive soda consumption. If someone drinks a 32-ounce Cherry Coke next to you at a movie theater, it doesn’t make you sick.
In his decision striking down the ban — which the city is appealing — Judge Milton Tingling mentioned that, in the 19th century, the Board of Health was given the power to put contagious patients out to sea in floating hospitals. If a health expert from some university somewhere suggested floating obese people out to sea as a weight-loss measure, Bloomberg might be sorely tempted.
A mere partial ban on large serving sizes is unlikely to have any effect, though. In a piece for The Daily Beast, Trevor Butterworth noted a study that found the top-consuming 20 percent of adolescent boys drank an ungodly 193.6 ounces, or more than a gallon, a day. Does Bloomberg think anything he does short of an outright ban on all soda will stop these kids? Even in that event, they would undoubtedly visit Mountain Dew speakeasies and imbibe home-brewed Dr Pepper.
Blowback
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Apparently Fuehrer Nanny Bloomberg thinks that having a Jolt Cola should get you “the chair.”
viking01 on March 15, 2013 at 10:20 PM
If a conservative doesn’t like red meat, he doesn’t eat red meat. If a liberal doesn’t like red meat, he wants it banned for everyone.
It’s the narcissistic mind at work.
John the Libertarian on March 15, 2013 at 10:37 PM
just about any thing that bloomberg does is folly.
DAT60A3 on March 15, 2013 at 10:52 PM
So is that what’s behind the Carnival cruise ship troubles? Get people stranded at sea and “accidentally” run low on food?
malclave on March 15, 2013 at 10:58 PM
Trying to create and enforce laws like this are just silly. Just like with the magazine ban. Enter 3D printing.
Necessity – or in this case, desire – is the mother of invention, or just finding a different way.
So you ban Styrofoam cups. There are still plastic cups and manufacturers can make sturdier waxed cardboard cups. So you ban a particular size fountain drink. Businesses and individuals will find ways around it to still consume the amount they desire.
A business might offer a buy one, get two free offer, selling one soda at the price of three. The person walks out now with not 32 oz., but maybe 36 oz. Or maybe the business offers two free refills on a 12 oz. fountain drink for dine in customers. Or, maybe a business offers a voucher for two free refills with the purchase of one – the one being 12 oz and subsequent refills being such. Businesses can also just make sure that their 10~12 oz. fountain sizes are priced at approx. a 1/3 of what a 32 oz. would be. Finally, people can just decide to bring a 2 liter or six pack of whatever soda they want with them. A bit cumbersome, but where there’s a will, there’s a way. I grew up drinking lukewarm Dr. Pepper because I couldn’t wait to let it get cold and we drank a lot of DP in our house. People can learn to do without cold soda in a pinch if they want the pop.
Logus on March 16, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Ban large condoms!
Bloomberg thinks they’re presumptuous.
profitsbeard on March 16, 2013 at 1:28 AM
Ah, yes it does. If it’s Micheal Moore drinking the coke, I’m vomiting.
Thomas More on March 16, 2013 at 7:18 AM