Cambridge, MA Weighs Ban on Soft Drinks

Following in the footsteps of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of Cambridge, MA is seeking to ban soda serving sizes of 16 ozs or more.

According to the Boston Globe, Mayor Henrietta Davis is considering limiting the size of sodas and sugar-sweetened beverages sold in city restaurants.

Health officials have long criticized the sugary drinks.

It’s a hard stance against soft drinks: the city of Cambridge wants to ban serving sizes of more than 16 ounces in restaurants and movie theaters.

Cambridge is a health conscious community, but is that enough to let the government determine what you drink and how much?

“I think the parents have to regulate what the kids drink today,” says Jim Kelley. “I think they drink far too many sugary drinks.”

“That’s all up to self control I feel,” says Kinsman. “If you feel you shouldn’t have soda, then don’t drink it.”

Once again, this is only a proposal at this time, but the Mayor has asked the city’s health department to make a recommendation.

I find it a tad difficult to believe that Cambridge has already become such a utopia-on-earth that every other problem within city limits has been solved to the point where the city feels it can start dictating how big a cup of soda people can order.

How exactly do they plan on enforcing this? Do they have any means of preventing people from arriving from the other side of the Charles with a 20 oz drink? And what's the threshold for 'sugary drinks'? What if somebody orders an 18oz coffee or iced tea and then ads sugar afterwards? Are they in violation of this proposed law? If it does in fact become law and the Cambridge PD is responsible for its enforcement, perhaps then we could ALL say "The Cambridge Police acted stupidly".

Of course, never one to be outdone as far as pushing the nanny-state envelope goes, New York's Bloomberg is eying a crackdown on popcorn and milkshakes being served in the Big Apple.