Boston Considers Banning ‘Sugary’ Beverages
- Posted on September 20, 2010 at 7:56pm by
Meredith Jessup
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Health officials in Boston are saying they are considering ways to curb or even ban the sale of sugary beverages in the city’s municipal buildings. The presence of calorie-rich drinks has government agencies worried about the health of employees and visitors to government agencies. As a result, the city’s health, education and housing leaders are putting their heads together and working to develop a policy that would reduce the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, the Boston Globe reported Monday.
The city has previously taken action to ban smoking in restaurants and bars and limiting trans-fats in fast-food chains and bakeries. ”Somebody has to take a stand, and if it isn’t the government and healthcare institutions leading the way to a healthier lifestyle, who’s going to do it?” asks Bill Walczak, head of a community health center and a member of the city’s soda panel.
The Globe notes that there are precedents for this kind of regulation:
San Francisco’s mayor earlier this year issued an executive order banning sale of sugary drinks, and New York has imposed rules governing the mix of beverages in city vending machines to favor water.
Boston city officials admit curbing the availability of sodas and other sugary drinks — already banned from the city’s school — may meet greater resistance than previous public health causes. ”I think we’re going to run into a big issue of people saying, ‘Why would you take away our sodas, why are you interfering with what we’re eating and drinking?’” says Barbara Ferrer, executive director of the Boston Public Health Commission.
“Unlike tobacco that is always harmful and if a person is smoking in the workplace it harms other people, I think people will look at sugar-sweetened beverages differently,” she said
The new regulation is nearly inevitable as it’s tied directly to millions of dollars of federal stimulus dollars. Earlier this year, the city received $12.5 million in the form of a stimulus grant. In return, the city promised it would “decrease consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages through counter-advertising and policy change.”
Another policy the city may consider is increasing prices for regular beverages, nudging consumers toward the cheaper option of diet drinks and water.
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Comments (146)
DanSt
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 9:05pmFor the umpteenth time in my adult life I am embarrassed to admit I live here in MA…I assure you that there are some normal people here in MA…not a lot, but at least a few…
Report Post »Docrow
Posted on September 21, 2010 at 11:13ammmmmm bacon
Report Post »jollylama
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 9:01pmI choose to drink the sobering unsweetened tea over the mindless ocean of kool-aid.
Report Post »DanSt
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 9:06pmJoolylama, didn’t you hear? They made an exemption for Kool-Aid…in fact pretty soon it will be subsidized…
Report Post »w4jle
Posted on September 21, 2010 at 12:49amBite your tongue Yankee! Down hear anything other than sweet tea is an abomination.
Report Post »Lisa_jo
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 9:00pmDid anyone notice how this new idea is tied to stimulus money? This is why we no longer have state rights..we keep taking money from mommy and daddy we have to follow their rules…so not only do we have to, as taxpayers, pay this money back…but they will use our own money as a pawn to take away our choices.
Report Post »BRAWNDO1958
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:50pmIt’s possible that the Boston Soda Panel was stirred to action after watching videos from the Restoring Honor rally. Did you notice how fat the woman are?
Report Post »Waiting4George
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 9:17pmMisogynist. Now go find a dictionary. It’s a real big book with lots of word definitions.
Report Post »M31Sailor
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 9:58pmProbably alot like that tuna u sleep with
Report Post »BRAWNDO1958
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 10:18pmActually most of the men were pretty fat, also. I just was picking on the gals because they were really, really, really fat. And why would someone call me a misogynist? I don’t look like Michael Jackson at all. Here, see if you like this one… How do you turn a fox into an elephant?
(marry her)
Report Post »M31Sailor
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 11:08pmsome of us were fat ,some skinny,some hispanic( I sat with them), some black ,some young, some old, but know what was the common theme,? Everyone had a smile and kind words Sorry about your pathetic life , but look up. your govt cheese is coming soon.
Truly Sailor
Report Post »GlennBeckUsesVicksVaporub
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 11:33pmWow! Someone sat with a Hispanic person at a Tea Party event? I hope you took some pictures to show the folks back home.
Report Post »M31Sailor
Posted on September 21, 2010 at 12:39amI love vicks vapo rub
Report Post »M31Sailor
Posted on September 21, 2010 at 5:51pmVicks breakes up the snots and flem
Report Post »smugsmiley
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:44pmBoston Considers Banning (the sale of) ‘Sugary’ Beverages (in municipal buildings)
Does anyone even read the articles or just the headlines? This is not exactly going to be a soft drink Gestapo going through private homes or businesses.
Report Post »Waiting4George
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 9:13pmNo, not yet…
Report Post »MESO71
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 10:36pmEthanol has been around since the dawn of the automobile… Why did it never take off? Because in the U.S. it is a net loss fuel… It requires more energy to produce than can be gained from it. So why did the govt force it down our throats as a fuel additive? Was there a sudden discovery of a new miracle production technique? No, nothing changed… Except the fact that Brazil was proving that they could make it work. Yes, in the equatorial rain forest region, sugar cane will produce enough sugar per acre to make it a net gain fuel. Plus Brazil enjoys the added luxury of being able to sell off all of their abundant oil… But wait… There are two distinct problems with this. In Brazil, they are literally burning down the rain forests to create new sugar cane fields.The rain forests are being demolished several times faster than ever before. They aren’t even bothering to harvest the timber, just burning it down. And here in the U.S. they can’t feasibly go to 100% ethanol, so they make us use a blend. Where I live they force us to use 10% ethanol. The typical car gets more than 20% worse gas mileage with this blend. My wife’s car sees a 21% loss and mine gets 23% worse. I’m no math wiz, but I believe that means that my car burns 13% more gas from crude oil… Doesn’t sound very green to me at all. The govt. can’t simply pass this off as “oops, our math must have been off” They knew, and they skewed the numbers and forced it on us anyway, WHY???
Report Post »This is just one example of dozens of failed policies. Why do they keep at it???
I’ve got a pretty good idea that the most logical answer is CONTROL. They don’t care about the environment or our health. Why else would they pass a HOW-MANY-THOUSAND-PAGE??? health bill filled with dozens of laws that have absolutely nothing to do with health care? Could it be CONTROL??? If that isn’t enough to make you start asking questions, then think about this… They even said that we would have to pass the bill in order to find out what was in it!!! They impose new laws on us and we aren’t even to know what they are ’til they are passed??? Are you okay with this? This doesn’t make you question their motives in each and everything they push on us??? If not then you truly are the KoolAid drinker
DSTSS2010
Posted on September 21, 2010 at 10:14amThat’s the tip of the camels nose in the tent. the whole camel will follow if you let it!
Report Post »lukesmom
Posted on September 21, 2010 at 3:20pmsmugsmiley – can tell you I read, and I know how this has been done in the past. taking away smoking, started this way. just a little pressure, here and there. McDonalds and Wendy’s gave up supersize options, just because of a movie. Incandescent lights, gone. -and those are just a few, list goes on and on. If you love freedom, each time we lose a choice, for what ever reason- it breaks your heart a bit. We are either free or not. we can self regulate, or we can be ruled- those are the only options. and if we chose freedom instead of tyranny- then we must fight for even the smallest freedom, event the ones we don’t like– so that we can keep freedom for all men.
Report Post »canNE1say1984by2014
Posted on September 25, 2010 at 12:24ambut that is the foot in the door for them i. e. all they need to get their gestapo forces up and running in full swing read much or do just buy it all the way around pun intended
Report Post »psst
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:43pmDon’t Budge. Let them Nudge. Tell them to go eat Fudge.
Report Post »Ooops. sorry.. They would have to ask permission from the sugar police(themselves) for the Fudge.
Tobaccy police
Sugar police
Fat burger police
Salt police
Trans fat police. That may go under Fat Burger police.
But.. Lets do these healthy things.
Encourage males to put their you know what into other males you know where.. AIDS is healthful.The government may insist that it’s mandatory w/ your morning coffee. It’s BB. Barbneys Bill.HR96
Plus.. It’s just an alternative lifestyle.That’s Fudge. Will the sugar police issue Sweets tickets?
Smoke al the Ganja you want.. Stay stoned. Um, I wonder if in Cali it will be Ok to smoke your Gnja in restaurants? Or at the sports stadiums?
Mebbe someone can help me out here.
Is it still Ok to smoke a cig after sex? I mean, w/ so many do‘s and don’ts lately, it’s like being lost in a jungle..
Guess I’m just not politically correct.. Otherwise I’d have said Rain Forest.
MESO71
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:58pmOOOH! A conundrum… In California, they just came out with weed infused ice cream. I’ll bet that they will try to claim that the health benefits of the cannabis outweigh the sugar.
Report Post »George1
Posted on September 21, 2010 at 11:04amIf you have an issue with people smoking weed (which has been proven safer than most drugs on the market today by NIXON’S government panel) then you aren’t much of a conservative. What will you tell people next? They can’t have sugary drinks or coffee? Democrat or Republican light is not Conservative.
Report Post »aircraftmag
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:36pmAwwww, don’t you just love the Progressives!!
Report Post »BRAWNDO1958
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:35pmIf we took a can of Boston Baked Beans and put them in a blender to make a smoothie, would that get banned?
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:35pmthis is completely ridiculous hey ass-hats ya you AMERICAN PEOPLE….GET OFF YOUR FREAKIN ASSES AND STOP THIS NOW
WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE
I BETTER SEE IT IN NOVEMBER…..CAUSE IF I DONT IM GUNNA MAKE IT MY GOAL TO KICK YOU ALL IN THE NADS (jk) but there are many in government that deserve it
Report Post »MESO71
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:52pmAfter they take my sugar, they plan to take my ‘nads.
Report Post »Please get rid of these communists in November!
littlebin518
Posted on September 21, 2010 at 4:58pmI sure hope Americans get out & vote. We have an average of only 38% of Americans that actually vote. That’s disgraceful. We can surely do better than that. PLEASE VOTE !!!
Report Post »brinksmom
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:34pmI am so sick of the nanny governments at all levels! In Texas we would NEVER put up with rules like that! Wake up blue state while you still have some freedom left!
Report Post »spendthrift
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:24pmAgain, the people can’t make decisions for themselves. ( According to the Government ).
Report Post »Citizen
Posted on September 21, 2010 at 10:29amthey are 1/3 right, the libs that vote for them cant make decisions, they dont have good jobs and they dont have health care. So the mindless lib drones like these things because they dont know how to take care of themselves. Without the government telling them they would have no idea that drinking soda all day is not good for you.
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:20pmand a member of the city’s soda panel.
=========
Report Post »Taxpayers are paying for a
SODA PANEL ?
Why ?
GOTT-EM-MAUSER
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:43pmSince this was funded with “Stimulus Grant” money, that soda panel probably counts for 5 jobs, created or saved.
Report Post »GnomeChomsky
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:19pmI guess you guys will have to switch to Sugar-Free Tea Flavored Kool-Aid
Report Post »MESO71
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:33pmUmmm? Who’s the one following without the free will to question???
Report Post »CNK
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:17pmWow! If I’m a visitor, I can actually get sick if I purchase one 16oz. bottle of soda?
Report Post »MESO71
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:35pmNo, but visiting in itself might make you feel pretty ill.
Report Post »A.RoyalPayne
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:17pmTime for a “sweetened” Iced Tea Party
Report Post »Gunstud
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:16pmLets see, they tell us what to eat, they tell us what to drink, when will they tell us to be merry?
Time for us to stand up like we got a set of b—s and tell em to back off!
Report Post »Neptunes Trident Bearer
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 9:10pmThat’s for damn sure, Gunstud. If we don’t start standing up to them now we never will.
Report Post »ADMIRAL747
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:15pmNew England Progressives, The Boston Pink Sox, Boston Brew-outs, Boston Cellouts, ok none are funny.
Report Post »Waiting4George
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:15pmAt one time, the old Soviet Union had the highest rate of alcoholism in the world. Wonder what our stats are these days? Just sayin‘ it’s enough to drive you to drink…
Report Post »MESO71
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:45pmSorry. But the sugar taxes will prohibit the manufacture of alcohol. How else will they fund the net loss manufacturing of ethanol.
Report Post »They add ten percent of it to my gas, and my car gets 23% worse gas mileage (Real figure, I checked several times!).
Proof that they couldn’t care less about emissions, or your health for that matter. It’s just another control strategy… The oil industry, agriculture, automotive, banking… As soon as you have to rely only on government approved foods they will have complete control of American industry altogether
jds7171
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 10:16pmFunny thing about the soviet union remark. I was reading an article in the USA today. It was telling about a time when the Soviet Union was noticing that the lifespan of their citizens was dropping and it was due to Vodka. They had a nation ban on Vodka, but the people revolted. It nearly brought down the fall of the Soviet Union untill they brought back Vodka.
Report Post »tallpines10
Posted on September 21, 2010 at 7:23amwell said meso71
Report Post »912Cindy
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:14pmOhhh you pooooor stupid people who don’t know what is good for you. Let daddy government come in and take you by the hand and nudge you into better behavior. Das is good mine furher, yes?
Report Post »Venom
Posted on September 21, 2010 at 12:28amLol
Report Post »Buckaroo
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:13pmbut beer is still OK, right?
/sigh
Report Post »LBreath
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:11pmIf you remove Mountain Dew from the workplace, productivity will drop 60%.
Report Post »MESO71
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:29pmThey said in municipal buildings… So 60% of nothing equals what???
Report Post »bulldawg
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:09pmAnd if the People of Boston allow this to happen the next thing that will happen they will be telling you when you can wipe your butt. Enough, People wake up, these Socialist Morons are going to destroy this country. Notice the last line NUDGE, does this sound familiar, can you say Cas Sunstein
Report Post »MESO71
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:27pmOr how much toilet paper you can use….. Oh yeah, never mind.
Report Post »PubliusPencilman
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 9:49pmI think it is pretty clear when exactly you have to wipe your butt–there isn’t a lot of rooms for disagreement here.
Don’t mess with Massachusetts.
Report Post »Uhavegottobekiddingme
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 9:58pmYes I can say Cas Sunstein Der kamisar
Report Post »starman70
Posted on September 21, 2010 at 7:35amLike the country singer whose name I can’t even remember who said that we should only use one sheet of toilet paper in order to save trees. Will Boston dictate your bathroom habits in public buildings? Even better, who wil they get to enforce the dictates?
Report Post »carrera
Posted on September 21, 2010 at 10:00amPencilman- I’m not so sure about that, remember Sheryl Crow has been lecturing us to only use one sheet of toilet paper, if she happens to get appointed as a toilet Czar we could run into trouble. If anyone happens to run into her, don’t shake her hand….satire off.
Report Post »DSTSS2010
Posted on September 21, 2010 at 10:05amHmmm, The Boston Soda Party. Think about it, citizens of Boston.
Report Post »ADMIRAL747
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:09pmPoor Bawney Fwank, spittle, spittle, spat, spat…
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:08pmI can see it already, “What’cha in for….”
Report Post »MESO71
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:26pmWhen they told me that too much sweets would kill me I didn’t think they meant death row!
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:06pmFirst comes nudge
Report Post »Then comes force
Then comes power
from the barrel of a gun
Rev. WC
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:35pmThe only thing I like better than Cheezwhiz is bacon!
Report Post »GOTT-EM-MAUSER
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:46pmHow true.
However, very soon they will realize that some “Guns” hold different views than others.
Report Post »MESO71
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:47pmAfter they ban sugar they will be going after cheese products… Sorry CHEEZWIZ
Report Post »Rev. WC
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 8:55pmThe war on poverty, the war on drugs, and now the war on sweets, has this worked yet?
Report Post »Ellie
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 9:03pmI’ve seen this happen before:
- Organization bans a tasty food item from office vending machines
- Employees take extra long breaks and go out of the building to search for the tasty food down the street or the next building over.
- Organization begins to loose productivity and requires all employees to remain in the building during office hours.
- Skilled employees rebel, quit, and go to work for the competition.
- Unskilled “drone” employees start bringing in their own tasty food items from Sam’s club and keeping them in their desks leading to the creation of an inner-office black market of tasty food items that they can sell to co-workers for them to hide in their desks as well.
- Employees no longer have to walk to the break room yet still consume the tasty food items thus making them even less healthy then they were before the ban.
- The now less healthy “drone” employees are promoted to positions that they are incapable of doing due to the lack of any skilled employees that want to work there.
- Organization withers and dies or the organization gives up and re-introduces the sell of tasty food items.
MESO71
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 9:18pmELLIE,
Report Post »You forgot option three… Organization shows that it cannot profit in U.S. and gets subsidized or moves to China.
Uhavegottobekiddingme
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 9:55pmBravo
Report Post »Ellie
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 10:09pmYou can’t legislate morality, tolerance, or desire. It’s evil to even try.
Report Post »Jim
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 11:28pmMmmm! Cheeze whiz on bacon!
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on September 21, 2010 at 12:27amMor big fat government in your life! Get used to it, or vote em all out!!!
Report Post »Hanna
Posted on September 21, 2010 at 2:47amIf they come after my Pepsi, they have crossed the last line in the sand……not a good idea!
Report Post »ishka4me
Posted on September 21, 2010 at 10:10ammost people don’t remember, but about 30 years ago movies once advertised as banned in boston. Any main stream movie with ani-Catholic message or showed nudity or adult situations would be banned in Boston. This gives new meaning to banned in Boston. This same crazy liberal city government was first to vote to boycott arizona
Report Post »ishka4me
Posted on September 21, 2010 at 10:12amToo bad there are no Kennedys left, they could make a fortune smuggling soda in from Rhode Island
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