Big Gulp, Meet Big Brother

[razz]

This is a hilarious thread to read.

The Big Gulp issue could apply to so many situations in our world. Too much of floury foods? Too little exercise? Too much alcohol?
Is a gas guzzler a Big Gulp as well? Is frequent flying a Big Gulp impacting our supply of fossil fuel big time? Having a car at all requiring huge infrastructure vs transit?
Where does one draw the line on freedom of choice and its impact on all of society and its costs? That is the question not focusing on the few (usually poorer financially and less educated) segments of our world who may be drinking too much soda and becoming obese.

[jp1]

And while we're at it, lets ban everything slightly dangerous too. Like skiing. People break their legs skiing from time to time. Why should I, through my health insurance, have to pay for that. And the list could go on to infinity.

For me, when I think of the word freedom I don't put an asterisk next to the word linking to fine print that says "as long as the government deems what you want to do to be adequately safe, healthy, and socially acceptable."

[creaker]

Back to the Big Gulp....as with most things, there is a way around it. If the 'Big' Gulp is banned then buy several 'Little' Gulps, drink individually or pour into a large cup.

Bloomberg said pretty much the same thing himself. It's not a ban on drinking soda, just how it is served.

I remember in my younger days when we weren't allowed buy rounds of pitchers (beer) and had to order a pitcher at a time.

[Rogar]

I think it's a great idea to ban the large soft drinks. It sends a good message to warn about the harmful effects of gross sugar consumption without really restricting people's rights. In some form or another I/we are footing part of the health care costs for people who have a gross disregard for their health. Obesity and it's related health risks is probably one of top health issues of our times.

[Yossarian]

I think it's a great idea to ban the large soft drinks.

It simply appalling people would use a gun to keep me from buying a Big Gulp.

[creaker]

It simply appalling people would use a gun to keep me from buying a Big Gulp.

Actually it's using a gun to keep someone from selling you a Big Gulp. I don't think the ban is on you - it's on the sellers. Businesses are banned from selling all sorts of stuff or have requirements for how they package/sell their stuff.

Added: if you don't do all the legal stuff to become a business, permits, licenses, etc, you're banned from selling a much larger range of stuff. I'm wondering how many "town shuts down kids lemonade stand" stories we'll see this year?

[ApatheticNoMore]

I think we should ban stress, stress is causing too many people to get sick. Why stress related diseases might kill more people than obesity.

Ok no, I don't actually think we should ban stress . Though it is true you would get a lot further on creating a better world by looking at why people go around as stressed out crazies than by banning big gulps. I'm just saying. But somehow I am coming to suspect that punitiveness is somehow more American .... though granted big gulp banning is a pretty mild punishment (just buy several small drinks!). It's so mild that Bloomberg doesn't even seem to be encountering that much pushback for this from the regulated industries (movie theaters and what have you).

Is a gas guzzler a Big Gulp as well? Is frequent flying a Big Gulp impacting our supply of fossil fuel big time?

You can say everything is an externality somehow I guess, but for me the environmental stuff is pretty clear. Outright destroying the commons should bear a price (when it's not outlawed outright). As noone can fathom a world with all fossil fuels outlawed, carbon should be taxed (make it revenue neutral, make into a citizen dividend than is then refunded to people), your contribution to all the harm burning carbon fuels causes, should bear a cost (and the purpose of that IS to reduce the use of it).

Big gulps are kind of meh. It seems to me that there are many countries with complete SOCIALIZED MEDICINE (not just I somehow bear the cost via old folks socialized medicine (medicare) or insurance premiums), that don't go in for the lifestyle policing. However, they have healthier lifestyles? Generally. That's called the effect of broad social policies (and sometimes culture too), not the effects of punishing individual food sins.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I'm wondering how many "town shuts down kids lemonade stand" stories we'll see this year?

This is the type of stuff I'll actively personally fight, need to encourage people to have more income streams that aren't dependent on an increasingly fragile system, open up opportunities for small scale entrepreneurship etc..

[Gregg]

Kids under 18 can't legally buy tobacco or alcohol or ammunition or porn because we want them to reach a level of maturity prior to having access to things that could cause harm if not used in moderation. At age 18 years and 1 day I was an abuser of the first three and probably only took a pass on the 4th because it wasn't readily available to me. So mature! Like most of my peers I got over it after a while, but it had nothing to do with the restriction or lack thereof. Even so, if we're going to take the approach of protecting our young until they are theoretically able to do it for themselves maybe we should ban soda sales to minors so they can develop healthier habits during their formative years. That and riding in cars (more kids killed in car wrecks than Mountain Dew ever dreamed of knocking off).

[AmeliaJane]

Part of my objection to this approach to obesity is that it assumes weight management is all about food choices. If the government really cares about a healthier population, how about spending on parks, or sports facillities, or public transit (which encourages walking), or walkable neighborhoods? That's where the power of government could really accomplish something private citizens can't. (I can choose my own menu items, thank you.) I live in one of those cities which is always on the "most obese" lists. Do we have a local food culture that features unhealthy foods? Sure. But we also have weather that keeps people indoors at least five months a year, and terrible transit, and infrastructure that makes it very difficult to walk anywhere, and way too few options for exercise, especially for our poorer residents.