Tens of millions of students will no longer be able to buy non-diet sodas in the nation's public schools under an agreement announced Wednesday between major beverage distributors and anti-obesity advocates.Up next: banning second-hand tippling due to the clear and present danger of backwash.
The distributors, working with a joint initiative of the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association, also have agreed to sell only water, juice and low-fat milks to elementary and middle schools, said Jay Carson, a spokesman for former President Clinton.
Cadbury Schweppes PLC, Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo Inc. and the American Beverage Association have all signed onto the deal, Carson said, adding that the companies represent "a very significant market share." The American Beverage Association represents the majority of school vending bottlers.
Update: Jacob Sullum has more.
2 comments:
Actually, high fructose corn syrup has been shown to chemically affect the brain such that the brains of the consumers of this substance are effectively made incapable of regulating their intake of food. If we are going to take obesity seriously as a legitimate public health problem and we are going to be consistent with our regulation of addictive chemicals that have a detrimental effect on the physiology of the individuals consuming them (to the benefit of those companies selling them), then fighting the schoolyard distribution of these substances is what we have to do.
Neither here nor there, but last night's Boston Legal was on the exact same issue.
Post a Comment