Free Republic

The New York City Board of Health approved Mayor Michael Bloomberg's ban on large sugar-sweetened drinks Thursday, as expected. Eight of the board's nine members voted in favor of the ban; one, Dr. Sixto R. Caro, abstained. "I am still skeptical," Caro told The Associated Press. "This is not comprehensive enough." The plan, proposed by the mayor in May, calls for a ban on the sale of all sugar-sweetened beverages—soda, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweetened teas, coffees and fruit drinks—in cups larger than 16 ounces at the city's restaurants, food carts, fast-food joints, movie theaters, stadiums and sports arenas. The...

NEW YORK (AP) — Medical professionals who favor a proposed ban on large-sized sugary drinks likened soda companies to Big Tobacco at a public hearing Tuesday, saying the plan would protect the public, while opponents accused the city of playing Big Brother and wondered what tasty but unhealthy foods might be targeted next. New York City's health board heard hours of testimony on a proposed rule that would limit soft-drink cup and bottle sizes at food service establishments to no larger than 16 ounces. Medical experts spared no rhetoric in hailing Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposal as a way to protect...