Starting this week, NYC residents won’t be able to purchase soda drinks in containers larger than 16 ounces. This means bars can’t sell larger party mixers for their drinks, and pizza places can’t sell two-liters for delivery and take-home orders.
Though the bill was passed nearly one year ago, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s soda ban is finally being implemented, which means restaurants, food carts, and coffee shops can no longer serve sweetened drinks in larger containers.
However, the debate in NYC town meeting has been the same; Does the government have the right to put a ban on beverages without a vote by the people, and will this policy really help decline the obesity rates?
To answer this question, let’s first look at Mayor Bloomberg’s motives. According to a 2010 study from ...