First smokes, now Cokes

LA Times ^ | 2/3/6 | Walter Olson

[ZGuy]

GET READY for the next mass-tort crusade: protecting our kids from the ravages of Big Cola. According to reports, a group of lawyers is gearing up to file lawsuits that will seek to blame Coke, Pepsi and others for obesity, tooth decay and other childhood health ailments. An article in the Boston Globe Magazine has called it part of a "national legal movement to make soft drinks the next tobacco." Instead of tar and nicotine, we'll be hearing about corn sweeteners and caffeine; maybe Dr. Pepper can stand in as the new Joe Camel.

Ridiculous? More like inevitable. For some time, a noisy campaign has been underway to portray the food and beverage industry as the villain in the nation's ongoing battle with the waistline. Without the snack hucksters' machinations, it seems, we'd all eat raw bell peppers and be reed thin.

Backed by "progressive" foundations, nutrition advocates are demanding a national obesity policy aimed at changing our collective diet, by force of law if necessary — or quite possibly by force of litigation. As one advocate, Michael Jacobson of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, put it: "If someone is saying that a 64-ounce soda at 7-Eleven contributed to obesity, that person should have his day in court."

That brings us to Northeastern University law professor and associate dean Richard Daynard, point man in the forthcoming courtroom onslaught against fizzy drinks. Long quoted in the media as a cheerleader for tobacco lawsuits, Daynard has now set out to assemble a legal strike force to file obesity actions. He wants to duplicate the success of the tobacco campaign, whose strategies included invoking "the children" and launching scores of suits on novel legal theories in hopes that one would stick.

WALTER OLSON is senior fellow of the Manhattan Institute.

[mysterio]

Yeah, you can die from drinking coke, when your body turns the sugar into fat and it stops your heart right up. And I won't blow smoke in your kids' ears. But I think if you are letting them eat those evil fatty and sugar laden treats that it constitutes child abuse. Just like your crowd thinks smoking around them is child abuse. Wonder what they'll decide is child abuse next?

[MarkL]

Between this sort, and other lawyers like Ramsey Clark, I belive this is only going to end when the laws change, not to a loser pays system, but a loser DIES system!

Mark

[MarkL]

"If someone is saying that a 64-ounce soda at 7-Eleven contributed to obesity, that person should have his day in court."

The funny thing is that I'm sitting here, with my 52oz insulated mug from Quik Trip, and I can choose to fill it up with a soda... Or a diet soda... Or iced tea. Or coffee... Not all of which contribute to obeseity. And every 7-11 I've ever been in has a wide variety of other drinks and juices, including some rather healthy choices that really have no business being in a convenience store.

I would never be allowed on one of those juries. If I ever get a chance to be on one, I'm going to lie my a$$ off to get on the jury, to be a voice of reason

BTW, right now, mine's filled with ice water. The place I work has canned soda for .25 a can. I made the choice myself to

Mark

[TAdams8591]

"BTW, right now, mine's filled with ice water"

You are AWESOME!!!!! /sarcasm

[MarkL]

Since I don't like coffe, I have a coke to get me through the morning. I think I'm addicted to it. And Think of all the long term health problems I'm going to have because of Cocca Cola. I think we need a multi-billion dollar class action lawsuit so that those who have suffered dearly at the hands of big cola can be properly compensated for their physical and mental anguish.

I love coffee. So much that when I start drinking it, I have trouble stopping. I used to drink 2 50oz mugs of coffee before lunch every day, but I had to quit when I could no longer wire serial connectors because my hands were shaking so badly. But that addiction has harmed me, and I'm going to sue Juan Valdez. I'm gonna own that burro!

Mark

[TAdams8591]

We never had junkfood either. I still don't.

[TAdams8591]

We never had junkfood either. I still don't.

[tioga]

I just bought a ton of soda on sale to stock up. Does that make me a sinner? LOL

[tioga]

How right you are.

[Paulus Invictus]

According to my cardiologist, caffeine in any solution is a no-no for heart patients. Some so-called "energy drinks" are loaded with caffeine, and other natural herbs like Brazilian guarana, teas etc. shrink the coronary arteries and cut the blood supply to the heart. The lawyers may think they have a case against Coke, but then how would they beat the coffee companies?

[Just another Joe]

Does that make me a sinner?

Naw, but according to the nanny staters it makes you fat.

[HungarianGypsy]

Wendy's offers a choice of oranges and milk as a side for the kid's meals. I can also request a substitution with the combo meals. Chick-fil-a offers a fruit bowl instead of fries. I think they also offer milk as a choice.

[tioga]

I didn't buy any diet soda........fat people always drink that. Thin people drink regular soda. My preferred drink is plain iced tea.........and beer.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Yeah, NOW they do - lol - but 15 years ago I was cutting edge! ;^)

[HungarianGypsy]

Speaking of nut products, I found an interesting label on my peanut butter. It listed the ingredients as blanched peanuts followed by a statement that the product was made in a plant that uses peanut and nut products.

[Muzzle_em]

I find that a lot of the Sam's Choice products are good.
I enjoy an occasional Big K cola as well.

[freepatriot32]

ping

[freepatriot32]

Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here

[DakotaRed]

Thank you for proving what I was saying.

No one is blowing smoke at you or your kids, but I imagine they do ingest some Coke, Pepsi or Dr. Pepper occasionally. The same people that have determined the offensive odor of tobacco is so detrimental to others health, in spite of studies that actually say otherwise (originally commissioned by smoke gnatzie groups) are the same group of people that will be soon denying you and your kids the pleasure of a soft drink. All they need do is follow suit as they did with tobacco and get enough people believing it is a major contributor to obesity, diabetes or any other health hazard they can dream up.

Don't be too surprised to see in 30 years that soft drinks may not be consumed within 25 feet of a building or indoors, as I'm sure the sugary aroma may offend and be found to lead to health effects in others.

Of course, Burger King, McDonald's and Wendy's and other hamburger joints, will have ceased to exist by then being closed down due to massive lawsuits filed and juries awarding survivors of obese people that died huge amounts of money.

Think it won't happen? Just keep your eyes open and watch as it unfolds before you. What else will follow suit remains to be seen, but it will happen.

[freepatriot32]

you know i'm hopelessly addicted to freerepublic.com.I m on all the time looking for storys to ping to my lists and its causing my typing fingers to be calloused and my waist to expand.I think we should call up some lawyers and file a class action lawsuit against jim robinson and when we get the money fro m the lawsuit we could buy large screen lcd monitor s and wireless keyboards and mouses and go to freerepublic.com and see that its been shut down because all the money he had to pay in the lawsuit bankrupted the website.We will then all go through withdrawl symptoms from not being able to look at freerepublic all day so we can then turn around and sue all the lawyers that shut down freerepublic and with that settlement money we could buy bigger and better servers and the freerepublic.com domain name and hire jim rob to run it and after a few months of sitting in front of our large computer screens not exercising...............