New York City Approves Ban on Large Sodas
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg got his wish: The city’s board of health voted to ban sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces Thursday.
Under the ban, restaurants, food carts, cafeterias, and concession stands, such as those in movie theaters, won’t be allowed to sell sodas larger than 16 ounces in the city.
[Report: Coke, Pepsi Outreach Plans Are Harming Public Health]
Fans of super-sized drinks will have a while to adjust to the ban and stock up: it won’t take effect until March 12, 2013; the city will start fining businesses that violate the ban in June.
In a statement last week supporting the ban, Bloomberg took a stand against super-sized sodas.
“As the size of sugary drinks has grown, so have our waistlines,” he said. “Our proposal for reasonable portion sizes won’t prevent anyone from buying or drinking as much soda as they want, but it will help people keep from inadvertently taking in junk calories simply because the small drink they ordered was actually very large.”
[Opinion: Michael Bloomberg’s Soda Ban Won’t Solve the Obesity Problem]
In a tweet after the board approved the ban, Bloomberg said “6 months from today, our city will be an even healthier place.”
