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See Also: Colbert Struggles With NYC Soda Ban, Conan Offers Alternatives See Also: Good News: Coffee Might Extend Your Life. Bad News: Sugar Might Make You Dumb
Mayor Bloomberg’s high-capacity soda ban has passed through the bowels of the New York City Board of Health and into law, provided it isn’t struck down by a judge before its March 12, 2013 implementation date. The ban on selling sodas larger than 16 ounces is meant to help curb America’s obesity problem but has been frequently lampooned as an example of government overreach.
Unsatisfied with a simple ban the health board has gone the extra mile to produce of series of gut churning education videos pointing out the hazards of sucking down liquid calories.
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Now that all might seem like an exaggeration but, as we’ve discussed previously, liquid sugar is truly pretty terrible for you. The research discussed specifically cites high fructose corn syrup, the primary sweetener in most sodas, as a causative factor in a broad range of metabolic and cognitive dysfunctions.
The ban, however, is far from monolithic. Only establishments inspected by the health department are subject to the ban and the ban only applies to specific types of beverages. Hilariously, convenience stores aren’t covered by the health department and the ban so the sale of 7-Eleven’s famous 40+ ounce Big Gulp is legal whereas McDonald won’t be able to stock fountain drink cups larger than 16 ounces. Bizarrely, milk shakes and fruit juice -which often have identical or greater sugar content- will also escape the ban.
