New York Health Bureaucrats Ban Big Sodas

Today, the New York City Board of Health defied the will of a majority of New Yorkers and set sodas over 16 ounces on the path to extinction in restaurants, concessions, and food carts. As with all good totalitarian “votes,” there was no opposition from among Bloomberg’s hand-picked deciders.

Barring a court order or state intervention, the last big drinks will be sold March 11, 2013. Somewhere, Congressman Andrew Volstead, sponsor of the National Prohibition Act, must be smiling.

And what will New Yorkers gain from having their beverage freedom seized? Not slimmer waists, but rather a “conversation that changes attitudes toward overeating.” That’s an odd choice of words, considering the mayor and a few food-police zealots are basically the only ones running their mouths.

And as we warned when Mayor Bloomberg proposed this wrongheaded regulation, the anti-food activists are already laying groundwork for expanding the ban. If their comments during the debate on the soda prohibition are any indication, New York’s health bureaucrats are chomping at the bit to start the expansion.

And Barry Popkin (last seen retracting idle speculation about high fructose corn syrup) is ready to join up, saying, “Beverages are the low-hanging fruit.” Get your foot-long hot dogs while you can, New Yorkers.

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