Today giant cups of soda would have become illegal in New York. But at the last minute the ban was stopped by a judge. It’s not very far-fetched to believe that the soda industry had something to do with it. They have burned millions of dollars in advertising and lobbying against the proposal. They have also hired some of the highest-paid lawyers in the US to try to stop it.
Why the panic? The soda industry makes most of their profits from “heavy users”, people drinking enormous amounts of soda every day (ruining their health). People who are addicted are profitable. And the soda industry wants no obstacles to get more people addicted.
NYT: Judge Blocks New York City’s Limits on Big Sugary Drinks
Now this latest decision will be appealed and the battle goes on. We know how it will end. We’ve seen this movie before, with the tobacco industry in a lead role.
Once people smoked on the streets and in the restaurants of New York, but no more. Getting rid of insane soda cups is likely to do even more for people’s health. The question is just how long it will take.
What do you think?
PS: I know libertarians are allergic to any regulation. Fair enough. Unfortunately this time they are Big Sugar’s little helpers.
I resent the accusation that libertarians are Big Sugar's little helpers. The difference between libertarians and yourself is that you're cheering over giving Big Sugar a slap on the wrist, while libertarians have been demanding Big Sugar be sent to the guillotine.
As a libertarian, I want to end government subsidy to corn growers and sugar producers. I want to end collusive tariffs on cane sugar put in place to benefit the producers of HFCS. I want to end government meddling in nutrition "guidelines" that recommend 6-11 servings of grain, and have put the stamp of approval on sugar as "safe".
Let me put it in language you'll understand: This ban on sugary drinks is analogous to keeping someone's Type2 diabetes in check with insulin injections while ignoring the patient's sugar-rich diet that caused it in the first place. This ban on sugary drinks is analogous to beating down someone's cholesterol with statin drugs, while ignoring the fact that the patient's current diet of grains and vegetable oils is causing the inflammation which will lead to heart disease anyway.
In both analogies, the patient has become beholden to a drug because the doctor's (well-intentioned but misinformed) advice is wrong.
Libertarians want to stop this juggernaut at the source by removing power from the government to influence what we eat via subsidy, recommendation and health programs. It's government that has made most western nations fat and sick. Expecting government to fix it by giving them more power (as in the sugary drink ban) is naive.
It's laughable if you believe this drink ban will be a blow to Big Sugar. People in NYC will just switch to the diet brands sold by the same companies, or buy their 750mL or 1L sports and soft drinks at the grocery, or convenience stores, because those aren't regulated. If you get your vente coffee every morning, you can still put 20 packets of sugar in it if you want, because adding sugar yourself isn't regulated either. Even so, drinks that are more than half milk (which the government considers "healthy") are also exempt, so huge sugary lattes will still be sold, as well as big cartons of chocolate and strawberry milk to school kids.
What this ban amounts to is just another bit of red tape business will have to learn to (or spend money to) avoid, but in the end changes next to nothing. That's why I am libertarian: because I recognize the futility of allowing the government to fix its own mistakes by giving it more control over our lives.
Someday you should really sit down and have a chat with Tom Naughton about the topic of government interference in our health and nutrition and how it applies to LCHF. It would be interesting to see him in one of your future interviews.