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California lawmakers on Thursday advanced the last major surviving bill in a package aimed at reducing consumption of sodas, approving a measure that would require health warning labels on sugary drinks.
The measure by Sen. Bill Monning (D-Carmel) received a bare majority of votes even though some Democrats withheld votes while others in the majority party joined Republicans in opposition.
The latest action follows this year’s shelving of measures that would have put a tax on soda and banned “Big Gulp”-style sodas in an effort to address health risks including obesity and diabetes that are posed by sugary drinks.
“They represent the single leading source of increased bad calories that are being promoted in our communities and pushed on communities of color,” Monning said during the floor debate, citing a “national epidemic” of diabetes.
The label on container would say: “STATE OF CALIFORNIA SAFETY WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) may contribute to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay.”
[...] The American Beverage Assn. opposed the bill with a strong push by lobbyists and while making major political contributions to state lawmakers.
The industry argued that the bill and its health impact claims went too far.
“There are already more effective ways to help people manage their overall sugar consumption rather than through mandatory and misleading messages,” said Steven Maviglio, a spokesman for the American Beverage Assn.
[...] Legislators are also still considering a bill that would bar the soda industry from offering subsidies including discount coupons that encourage soda consumption.
(Score: 2) by sshelton76 on Wednesday May 29 2019, @08:48PM (1 child)
The justification is that if it can buy prepared foods (which tend to be more expensive), then there is no way to stop recipients from blowing their Food Stamps at McDonalds.
Interestingly enough there is a part of this same law that allows you to receive a cash benefit (other than TANF) instead of foodstamps if you can demonstrate that you have no way to prepare or store food.
I've always wondered why homeless people especially families don't take advantage of that, because the alternative tends to be to sell the foodstamps for pennies on the dollar in order to be able to eat or buy diapers or whatever.
(Score: 3, Funny) by AthanasiusKircher on Wednesday May 29 2019, @09:59PM
Things must be pretty desperate if people are eating diapers.
(I never was pedantic about splitting infinitives, but the common practice of splitting them makes an ambiguity here that sounds rather disgusting... Or a comma could help...)