Governments should not have to ban junk food. The City of Toronto’s proposition to ban the sale of pop on city property by 2014 is seriously flawed. Not only is 2014 a ridiculously long time to implement something such a ban, but it’s pointless in and of itself for the reasons included below. Also, why ban just pop? What about the plethora of snacks like chips, candy and chocolate or even the highly sugary fruit juices that will be replacing them in vending machines? What about the other 90% of the population that do not work on city property – what will this do for them? This one infinitesimal step towards solving a massive issue is extremely insignificant. At this rate, with obesity morphing into the catastrophic monster issue the way it currently is, nothing will be ever solved this way. If anything can be concluded from this vapid plan, it’s that the City of Toronto is looking for positive publicity demonstrating their ability to act… actions that are both erroneous and will only make changes if looked at on a geological time scale.
The amount of time and money devoted to this ban could be much better served elsewhere. Like to food bank donations, or to afters-school programs to encourage physical activity among young people, or even to my new spring wardrobe. The point is, municipal governments cannot afford to waste precious resources policing people from hurting themselves with food and drink intake. Looking at this on an elementary level, is a little self control too much to ask? Can’t people recognize that drinking cans upon cans of sugary pop or bags of chips, chocolate bar after chocolate bar, is bad for them? Reality check necessary. And even if the argument is made that people are not educated enough to make healthy food choices on their own, like the much raved about Jamie Oliver Food dilemma, imposing a limited ban on the toxic substances in question will clearly not resolve this issue.
Don’t get me wrong, I realize that this minor change might reduce stress on the health care system by at least $5 annually, but this is just another symptom. We need to all take a harsh look at the direct cause of the obesity issue plaguing society. Government efforts should be redirected to the root cause of the problem in order to make a dent on the pandemic.
Nutrition education needs to be increased because people need to be making healthy food choices on their own at home on a regular basis. This is step one; however, governments are coming in the way of this step, contradicting themselves dramatically. In the United States, governments are subsidizing junk food and various forms of fast food, making it the only option for much of the lower economic bracket of the population. If you have seen either of the stellar documentaries Food Inc., or Super Size Me, you know what I am talking about. Secondly, physical education needs to be emphasized everywhere. It’s simple: people are just not getting enough exercise. Calories in has to equal calories out. Back to the main issue – how will taking away a few people’s daily Coke, Pepsi or Sprite fix change these fundamental flaws? Education is required for both the young and old regarding food choices, basic nutrition, exercise in balance with their busy lives. Even starting with basic public service advertisements regarding these principles would be a better directed first step towards solving the actual problem here.
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