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L.A. City Council Considering a (Small) Soda Ban
(Photo via Poolie on LAist Flickr pool)
Here's something that'll get Jon Stewart riled up: Los Angeles City Councilman Mitchell Englander brought a motion to ban the sale of soda from city park and library vending machines to today's Los Angeles City Council meeting. Englander, who is also known for his lack of support for the Occupy LA movement and a condoms in porn ordinance, became involved with the issue because his daughter could not purchase anything besides the sugary carbonated beverages at the park.
Sure, the Center for Disease Prevention and Control might say that childhood obesity rates have more than tripled in the past 30 years, largely as a result of a "caloric imbalance" in their diets. But what about our personal right to govern our own bodies?
We're sure there will be tons who agree with Stewart's jovial statement that government regulation of our diet "combines the draconian government overreach people love with the probable lack of results they expect." You'll probably have to pry the soda out of their cold, dead hands too. Others, like Jamie Oliver, welcome a ban of these items in public areas.
Whatever happens, they'd better not ban frapuccinos. Things could get ugly.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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