Mayor Bloomberg's proposal to ban the sale of sugary drinks over 16 ounces in certain establishments has passed its first hurdle and will get a public comment period. The Board of Health voted unanimously for the proposal to be published; the Wall Street Journal reports, "The board, an 11-member panel appointed by Bloomberg, gave the green light to publish the mayor’s proposal and hold a public hearing July 24. A final vote on the proposal is slated for Sept. 13."
Any establishment that receives a restaurant inspection grade from the NYC Department of Health would be subject to the ban—which has confused some people because 7-Elevens, which aren't regulated by the city, would still sell Big Gulps! According to the WSJ:
Despite the unanimous vote, board members questioned various aspects of the plan. One asked why the department set a cut-off of 16 fluid ounces. There were also questions about the details of the proposal, such as which drinks are banned and which venues would be affected. One member asked about refills; they are allowed.
Another member, Michael Phillips, asked about the possibility of banning large-size food portions. “What about the size of a hamburger or jumbo fries?”
Well, today it's banning sugary drinks, maybe tomorrow will be a portion-size ban. The NY Times has a big feature on the mayor's efforts to battle citywide obesity and how it's been challenging, with a focus on the Bronx, where 70% of adults are overweight. Many people near a McDonald's by Yankee Stadium "said the only effect of the proposed ban would be on their wallets: they would have to buy two small cups of soda ($2.58) instead of one large ($1.89) to get their fill. 'If I eat cheeseburgers and fries, I’m going to get dehydrated and that little cup is not enough,' said Jessica Torres, 22, a mother of two."
