In light of the failed California law and talk out of the UK we asked whether or not it was time to think about putting warning labels on sugar filled drinks!
Here is the podcast.
Here is some of what came in via the SMS.
Yes, all fizzy drinks must have warninngs, they are killer drinks
Dear James. It is always wonderful to tune into your show. You discuss an important topic. As a suffering sodaholic who formed his habit during my childhood and a supremely obese person that I am today, I simply wish I had made better choices and was not taken in by the marketing campaigns that I was subject to.
Don't stop on the soda. What about the fast food joints that lure kids in with happy meals and toys that get them hooked
I have tried the exercise and diets but I am unable to sustain the process. I am always hopeful though and every inspirational story I hear pushes me on to try again.. hopefully before I eat myself to death..
All fizzy drinks must be labeled and vending machines be removed
Adults have a responsibility to themselves. Soda companies market a product like Nike, Adidas. If you choose to drink soda, eat burger and end up obese then in 2014, guess what. You're an idiot. The information is our there. Ignorance is no excuse. I enjoy one can every couple of days, I don't want pictures in the can when I choose to go to the gym instead on sitting on the sofa. Stu
Very Harmful wish to see it labeld!
Hi James, i used to drink coke and became fat. But diet coke isnt better, full of chemicals. Forget those. In Russia we drink lots of tea! lk
So sad to c these drinks associated to sports like what we see these days with the world cup ..Our kids will think they are sporty what a shame
. Karim
I don't understand why people appreciate sponsorships and social campaigns by these multinationals who are simply using thier marketing budgets with different name and when it comes to thier own employees and environmental issues trust me they aren't social. They are selling harmful stuff and making endless revenues. I ask you who will appreciate a thief helping few people but harming the society on other hand.
I totally agree with Samuel that being parents we should lead by example and teach our kids to avoid these drinks and trust me it will work. I am experiencing this at home. My daughter prefers to buy milk or fresh juice than any soft drink
And here are some of the notes we consulted for the show.
Obesity!
Is it time to put warning labels on soda? Like cigaretted?
Is it time to ban sugar drink sponsors of sports?
Is it time to wage a war against obesity and the ingredients that take us there?
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A bill that would have made California the first state in the nation to require warning labels on sodas and other sugary drinks was effectively killed Tuesday.
Sen. Bill Monning's SB1000 failed on a 7-8 vote as his fellow Democratic lawmakers doubted whether a label would change consumer behaviour. It needed 10 votes to pass.
Certain sodas, energy drinks and fruit drinks would have included a label reading, "STATE OF CALIFORNIA SAFETY WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay."
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It was developed by public health advocates using cigarette and alcohol warnings as a model. Representatives of the beverage industry argued that the bill was unfair by not applying to other foods and drinks, including lattes and chocolate milk.
Monning, of Carmel, says warning labels would be the most efficacious tool for educating people about the dangers of sugary drinks.
"Changing behaviour is the hardest challenge in the world of medicine," Monning told lawmakers before the vote. "But you can't start to even make a commitment to make behaviour change if you don't have the information."
His bill had support from the California Medical Association, the California Center for Public Health Advocacy and groups devoted to improving the health of minorities. A similar bill introduced in Vermont stalled this year.
Democratic Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez noted that cigarette warning labels were accompanied by taxes and prohibitions on smoking in public places before tobacco use plunged.
"It wasn't necessarily the labels that changed peoples' habits, but it was the other requirements," said Gomez, who represents Los Angeles.
CalBev, the California arm of the American Beverage Association, says it posts calorie counts on the front of many beverage containers as part of a voluntary campaign that started in 2010.
Industry groups also say warning labels may conflict with an upcoming overhaul of the nutritional information labels regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Sugary drinks have been a target of public health advocates who see them as one of the biggest drivers of preventable diseases. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg pushed a ban on large servings of soft drinks in 2012. A court later struck down the ban after it prompted lawsuits and an aggressive campaign from businesses.
Leaders in San Francisco and Berkeley are considering sending measures imposing a sugary drink tax to voters in November after nearby Richmond rejected such a tax in 2012.
A children's health group recently launched a "Sugar Bites" ad campaign in the east San Francisco Bay Area and state capital depicting sugary drinks as snarling monsters with sharp teeth held by anxious children.
Monning, who previously called for a soda tax, said he would keep pushing for warning labels.
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