Apr 9, 2009 8:18 pm US/Eastern
NYC Health Commish Pushes Skim Milk, Tax On Soda
Health, Education Departments Recommend Parents Feed Kids Skim Milk, Propose Tax On Sugary Drinks
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Call it the great drink debate.
A member of the Bloomberg Administration is telling parents what milk to give their kids and suggesting a tax on soda, but the idea is falling flat with some critics.
The administration that regulated smoking in the city and then mandated calorie counts at city restaurants is at it again, now suggesting that parents feed their children skim milk and proposing a tax on sugary drinks.
Many New Yorkers seem willing to accept the lecturing.
"I don't have a problem with it," Jessica Markiewicz says. "People shouldn't drink soda. It's disgusting."
"Parents aren't keeping up with the children, and with the computers no one's exercising anymore," Terry Campisano says. "Somebody's got to tell them what's good for them."
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, appearing in Brooklyn Thursday, defended the call by his health commissioner for a soda tax – for health reasons – and the letter sent to public school parents suggesting healthier milk choices.
The unprecedented letter from both the health and education departments makes the point that obesity is the only major health problem that's getting worse in the city.
Another problem is that obesity starts early – right now, only half the city's schoolchildren are at a healthy weight.
"If you are a parent and don't do something now, your child will have a lifelong problem," Bloomberg said.
But how far should the city go in trying to legislate personal behavior? Some say it's a misguided effort.
"It's a roundabout way to get people healthy. People do what people do," one New Yorker said. "I just put out a cigarette. Cigarettes are what, $12 around here. People do what they're going to do."
"I think giving people advice is never an issue of 'Big Brother'," Schools Chancellor Joel Klein said. "When it comes to health risks and our children, our function is to give people advice."
What city residents put tin their own bodies is, of course, their own business – but the mayor says his administration will continue to speak out when it comes to matters of public health.
The children in city public schools already get 1% milk in government-provided school lunches.
CBS 2's John Metaxas contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
2009 Celebrity Deaths, July-Dec.
Click to enlarge
Hempstead Asst Police Chief Alleges Discrimination 1 hr 36 mins ago 
Stumble It!
Comments