New York City May Ban Sodas Larger Than 16 Ounces: Smart or Stupid?

by SodaHead Living Posted 2012/05/31 20:00:00

Related Topics: soda, soda ban, Bloomberg, Mayor Bloomberg, New York, Health, Obesity, Diet, Nine, Mayor, Office, New York City, Diabetes, Restaurants, News, Drink, Grocery Store, Type 2 diabetes

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721 votes
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	Smart	185 votes	26%
	Stupid	536 votes	74%

Bad news, soda lovers. New York City may ban sodas and other sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces in a first-in-the-nation move meant to battle obesity. "More than half of NYC adults (58%) are overweight or obese," Mayor Michael Bloomberg tweeted on Thursday. "We're doing something about it."

The ban would outlaw drinks larger than 16 ounces at restaurants and other eateries, but not grocery stores. And the Board of Health is expected to OK the proposal in the coming months, which would mean a $200 fine for establishments that violate the ban. "Restaurant owners will have nine months from the adoption of the proposal until they face fines," Bloomberg's office said in a statement.

The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics says sugary drinks "have been linked to poor diet quality, weight gain, obesity, and, in adults, type 2 diabetes." And let's face it: In the U.S., a "large" soda often looks more like an extra extra large. Sixteen ounces seems like more than enough. Do you agree? Or do you want the food police to leave you alone?

+34

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laura 2012/05/31 20:07:42

Stupid

+11
Stupid. Just buy two. We do not elect our government officials to take care of us as if we're too stupid to do so ourselves. We elect them to protect and preserve our freedom. Utterly ridiculous.
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Garciataria 2012/05/31 23:45:18

Smart

I'm only voting smart because I'm considering the unprecedented amounts of soda that people my age are drinking. In some cases, it's way beyond the point where it's unhealthy for you.

Plus, I myself am not a soda drinker.

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cmdrbnd007 to Garciat... 2012/06/01 00:45:35

+4
So you think restricting other people's right to chose for themselves is ok because you don't drink soda. What if they wanted to restrict something that you liked?

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Garciat... to cmdrbnd007 2012/06/01 11:44:51

I'm not saying ban it because I don't drink soda. I'm saying ban it because I'm seeing others drink a lot more soda than they should, and it's unhealthy.

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cmdrbnd007 to Garciat... 2012/06/01 13:08:02

+2
Who the hell cares what they drink. It doesn't impair their decision making like alcohol. A person has the right to do things that are unhealthy. It isn't the governments place to ensure we live a healthy life. Hell, skateboarding isn't healthy how would you feel if they made skateboarding illegal, or any of a myriad of other activities. We cannot sit back and let our freedoms be whittled away a little at a time. This may seem like small potatoes to you but it is an affront to our basic liberties. Today it's pop tomorrow there is no telling what they may try to take. Wake up!

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Sayer Stewart 2012/05/31 23:40:32

Stupid

+3
None of the governments's buisiness.

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Catnip 2012/05/31 23:39:03

Stupid

+3
I am so sick of the food police telling me what I can and cannot eat. Now they're going after my rootbeers! Enough is enough!

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DOriginalDonald 2012/05/31 23:36:39

Stupid

+2
Instead of buying a $2.99 64 oz soda we'll be FORCED to get 4 $1.59 16 oz. ones.

BTW no ban on fortys????????

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DeCaf 2012/05/31 23:25:51

Stupid

+2
What else will the know it alls want to force our population to.

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cm 2012/05/31 23:25:23

Stupid

+2
beyond stupid and this thing will never hold up in court

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Loser lollipop 2012/05/31 23:24:39

Smart

Business sense it's smart, people will either have to pay a refill fee or just buy another soda. People sense, they're not gonna like it.

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cm to Loser l... 2012/05/31 23:26:05

refills are free

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Loser l... to cm 2012/05/31 23:26:20

Not everywhere

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cm to Loser l... 2012/05/31 23:27:00

most places

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cmdrbnd007 to Loser l... 2012/06/01 00:46:38

+1
In most places refills are free. My question is how is this any of any government's business?

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Loser l... to cmdrbnd007 2012/06/01 02:39:20 (edited)

I'm just putting out there that to make up for losing the larger more expensive cup sizes business may (and I believe in good business sense should) start charging for refills. It's just an option it's not binding and by any means going to be put in place. As far as why should the government have a say I don't have an answer to that. My answer was made purely on the business sense of the transformation. It would be a smart decision to reduce drink sizes so either a.) people buy more drinks to compensate for the size difference or b.) start to implement a refill fee. Like I said, it's a smart business decision, but not smart to be noticeably interfering upon the rights of customers.

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Sarah 2012/05/31 23:23:19

Stupid

+1
Drinks, really? Start somewhere else, besides, this won't stop people, they'll just get another.

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carl 2012/05/31 23:22:23

Stupid

+5
We have too many laws as it is. This is supposed to be a free country but it is far from it.

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Nekosarethebest 2012/05/31 23:22:08

Stupid

+1
Yup.

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Chewy 2012/05/31 23:10:44

Smart

Who the hell needs to drink a quart of Dr. Pepper for break?!

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Sayer S... to Chewy 2012/05/31 23:41:36

+4
I agree, but why make it illegal? I thought that this was a free country

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☠ Live ... to Chewy 2012/05/31 23:53:47

+3
How is it anyone's business?

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cmdrbnd007 to Chewy 2012/06/01 00:47:50

+2
Who cares about need it's about the freedom to do so if they want to. Who the hell gave Bloomberg the power to curtail the freedoms of the citizens of NYC?

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psychobabe 2012/05/31 23:08:12

Stupid

+3
Are they willing to ban the fruit juices? Allot of them have more sugar than soda.

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Anonymo... to psychobabe 2012/05/31 23:09:19

+1
Fizzy drinks are especially fattening though. B

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JCLadybug to Anonymo... 2012/06/01 02:59:03

+1
The sugar is what makes them fattening and many juice drinks are on par with soda as far as sugar amounts. Juice isn't really healthy, the healthy part of juice is in the fruit it came from (sure there is a little vitamin C....that is about it). Soda just has caffiene, which will dehydrate you so it is considered more unhealthy....as far as the health concerns of soda go though....juice is just as bad.

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Inquisi... to psychobabe 2012/06/01 00:31:20

I'd assume so, considering it mentioned other sugary drinks.

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psychobabe to Inquisi... 2012/06/01 21:37:23
Inquisi... to psychobabe 2012/06/02 01:56:57

Nah, we just read before we answer...

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psychobabe to Inquisi... 2012/06/08 20:07:33 (edited)

No...anyone who feels the need to post what you did would be considered anal retentive. Really not a big deal. Other than to those such as yourself. Personally...I say relax, take a laxative, remove thy head so you can breathe again. Not a big deal dude. Chill. =0) (and think again)

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Inquisi... to psychobabe 2012/06/08 22:56:12 (edited)

Anyone who complains without having actually read what they're complaining about is just careless... a little too "chill". And, anyone who feels the need to post what you just did would be considered childish and unable to graciously admit when they were wrong about something.

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psychobabe to Inquisi... 2012/06/11 16:32:44

No dude...you are anal. The fact that it bothered you enough to post about something that isn't a big deal. There was no complaint in my original post. It just irritated you. You wanted me to admit to being wrong? That's why you replied? It's not a big deal to anyone but you. Chill. I have more important things to concern myself with than appeasing you. (and think again)...Was my original post that offensive to you? Bah

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Inquisi... to psychobabe 2012/06/11 19:15:02

Thank you for confirming what I just said, by your inability to just give it up.

I'd much rather be anal than careless and ignorant about things I discuss, so I'll take that as a compliment. Take care. :-)

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☠ Live Free Or Die ☠ 2012/05/31 23:06:34

Stupid

+3
Not their business what people drink.

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Anonymouse BN-0 ~bibbityboo~ 2012/05/31 23:04:22

Stupid

+1
That is stupid. Look at the root of the problem - if needs be, levy a high sliding scale tax on foods based on how unhealthy they are, but that's ridiculous and pointless.

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Anonymo... to Anonymo... 2012/05/31 23:12:41 (edited)

Also, how does a place get in such a state?! Most of the people in the city are obese, that's a very sad statistic... Also, 16 US fl. oz. is less than a pint...

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JohnT 2012/05/31 23:03:19

Stupid

+1
Give me two 16oz to go, DUH. Nanny morons like Bloomberg need to mind their own damn business. The people he is messing with are the ones that pay his salary. Just leave peoples personal habits alone. They pay for their sodas their food their insurance so mind your own and enough of worrying if they are obese or not. People here are unhappy what the heck do you expect? The hardest workers who take the least amount of vacation are Americans. They don't appreciate some civil servant they hired to monitor their lives.

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blackrings70 2012/05/31 22:57:02

Stupid

+1
They can just buy two and then have a friend buy two more, its not rocket science. They're not "stopping" anything,

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Little Miss Unicorn 2012/05/31 22:52:19

Stupid

+2
Instead of banning them, they should invest in educating people of the dangers and low nutrition of consuming too much sugary drinks. People will obviously buy smaller sizes but in bigger quantities.

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M.C 2012/05/31 22:44:40

Stupid

+3
what is happening to my right to choose to be what i want and how i want and do what i want with my own body???

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RamblingVoices. 2012/05/31 22:42:13 (edited)

Smart

+1
I've seen the size of a 'large' soda in the US. We have them over here, they're called mop buckets. There is no need for the size of things over there, servings are ridiculous, you could save a small country from starvation with a 3 course meal.
I've got an idea, how about they just ban soda.

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