New Yorkers Debate Viability of Ban on Big Gulps
More than one third of all American adults are obese. Now over 17 percent of our children are overweight too. To tackle this crisis, one gulp at a time, New York City mayor, Michael Bloomberg, is banning all super-sized sugary drinks. But will this affect commerce? Will it stop people from buying sodas? Will it make new yorkers healthy? We asked some New Yorkers about the proposed ban.
“I agree with it. At the end of the day, when every body drinks a soda and gets diabetes, everyone is going to have to pay for it," laments one citizen.
This is the main reason behind the Bloomberg ban.
The ban is only on sweetened drinks bigger than 16 ounces. Average -sized cans of soda are fine, but the Big Gulps are a big problem
Some New Yorkers think, the ban infringes their right to drink any beverage of choice.
"I think it's actually stupid," exclaims one beverage consumer.
"You can't stop anybody from what they want to drink," explains another.
Allen Street deli owner, Rezwan Kabir, says he will make less money, after the ban. But in theory, he agrees with it.
"I think it's a great idea, but it should start somewhere else -your home, your classroom, where kids actually learn not to have sugary drinks," says Kabir.
He sells a lot of sugary drinks to kids- especially sodas and ice teas.
Sometimes he sees the same children buy a 300 calorie soda, before and after school.
"Do you feel bad, when an overweight kid comes in, and gets the big Arizona iced tea? Absolutely. And they drink it, more than once a day," adds the Deli owner.
The deli owner sells healthy drinks, but apparently kids don't want those.
“The average kids won't spend more than a dollar, maybe two, for a bottle of soda or juice. Most of the healthier stuff is very expensive, " explains Kabir.
So for now, Rezwan Kabir will continue to stock his shelves with sodas, sugary teas and sweetened fruit juices. But if the ban becomes law, you won't see these drinks anymore.
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