Kordie said:
You may need to read my post again as well. You mention parents making bad decisions, kids not knowing about healthy choices, and say (while it probably won't do much) that you appreciate the effort. That all points me in the direction that you think it's a good idea. Maybe not the best idea, but a good one. So that's where I got my misunderstanding.
I am saying that the solution is better education of both parents and children, for children it's all about schooling. For parents, it's about getting the info on the food out there in other means, obviously they wont be in school but that's not the only place education happens. Put the information on the cup, just like cigarettes (i.e. A big gulp has over 300g of sugar in it, compared to a cake that has 200 FYI Just making those numbers up). Put out public awareness ads on TV. Billboards, or internet campaigns, there's plenty of venues to teach on. In the end, if someone still wants to drink it that's their call. As heartless as this next bit sounds, but if someone can't be taught the dangers of it, they can drink them self to death. Just the same as any other vice. People can gamble their livelihood away, they can drink them self into a coma (liquor), they can smoke them self till they get lung cancer, or hell, they can go stare at the sun until they go blind no matter how much we say don't stare at the sun.
And last, I recognize that another aspect of this argument is the health costs. That is why I suggested a fat tax for unhealthy foods. That creates more revenue to put into the health system that can help offset the increased costs of treating the obese, or the funds can go into the education programs I suggested. Focus on better education and you can curb a lot of issues. The reason they don't sell this size drink in other places is because there isn't a market for it, not because those people have governments looking out for them.
As another example, when KFC introduced the double down they originally didn't sell it in Canada because the government tried to stop them. It didn't take long for the people to say "we don't want the government deciding what we can't eat". To this day I don't know anyone who has ever had one, but we have the option to. And no one want's it because we all know how bad it is.
OK, so you talk like you expect people to be reasonable and smart most of the time. You are clearly intelligent enough to consider your bad diet choices and I am guessing you could even give me some explanation that would explain why it's bad too. Most of what you have said here gives me the impression that I am talking to someone smart.
However you are completely ignorant of a massive part of the American population. If this was a problem that could be fixed with a few billboards and campaigns it would have happened by now. There are plenty of attempts in the past, a huge part of reality TV is about fat people trying to lose weight which actually gives a deep explanation of the health risks and proper diets. I have even seen that there's a pamphlet in McDonalds meals which explains about proper nutrition and informs how much of the different nutrients can be found in the meal you just ate. I know they have been trying to get people to change by informing them. It just doesn't work.
Also I don't think you are heartless when you say that people should be allowed to pick their poison. Lose their property while struggling wth gambling addiction. However if that was the only propblem. Knowing, consenting adults screwing up their lives I would be OK. However unknowing ignorant children getting their lives screwed up because their parents are stupid is something else entirely. You can screw up your own life all you want, there's a difference when you screw up someone else's life.
Also I ignored the part about taxing unhealthy food because everyone else does. Tax unhealthy food all you want, people still buy it. They do the same thing with pretty much everything. Gas prices increased because it's bad for the environment, yet people drive just as much if not more.
In a perfect world your idea would be great. In a perfect world your idea would probably not be necessary. This world is however not perfect.
You want to focus on education rather than restrictiction and well, education is always a good thing... Did you seriously choose to ignore the massive part of my last post that explained why the was useless?
Also to clear up the misunderstanding. I don't think the idea is great. I do however think that it's great that they are at least trying something.
