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Mississippi bans local food ordinances
Any Mississippi cities or counties considering a sugary drink ban similar to the one New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg had proposed are out of luck. On Monday, Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed a bill preventing local governments — or any political subdivision — from banning or limiting the food and nonalcoholic beverages served in restaurants, food establishments and vending machines.
Last week, New York City’s ban on sugary drinks served in containers exceeding 16 ounces was set to go into effect. A State Supreme Court Justice, however, struck down the portion cap, saying that the New York Board of Health had exceeded its authority and that the rule was arbitrary. Bloomberg appealed the ruling and a New York appellate court agreed to hear the case in early June.
RELATED: New York sugary drink ban won’t go into effect — for now
The Mississippi law went into effect immediately. In addition to prohibiting cities and counties from banning or limiting food, it also reserves for the legislature the power to regulate consumer incentive items, including kid’s meal toys; require the listing of nutritional information, allergen content or calorie count for menu items; or restrict the sale, distribution, growing or raising of food approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or other federal or state agency.
According to an MSN News story, not all Mississippi mayors agree with the law. “There was no threat of any city enacting a portion control law,” said Herman, Miss., Mayor Chip Johnson. “And yet, we have this far-reaching bill that’s getting into menu labeling and even limiting our ability to zone restaurants.”
Yet Miss. is the #3 “worst”
Yet Miss. is the #3 “worst” government for least clean public spaces in the American State Litter Scorecard. Though mandated by state law, seems MS has banned “cleaning itself up” of its solid wastes!
Missisisppi is the #3 “worst”
Missisisppi is the #3 “worst” government, for least clean public spaces, in the American State Litter Scorecard.
Though mandated by law, appears MS state, county and local governments are “banning” the minimal efforts to “clean themselves up” from nasty, disease-laden, deadly solid wastes.
So the question is, how are
So the question is, how are the residents of Mississippi going to be assured of the safety or benefits of food developed, marketed, sold and consumed in the context of this new law prohibiting the sharing of information on the quality or value or potential/known harmful aspects of food, food retailers; and the rights of local governments to ban or limit food production or sales based that research clearly indicates poses potential or known harmful effects to the public safety? Is it the intent of the Governor and State Legislature to have an uninformed and therefore vulnerable populous? Mississippi already has one of the worst obesity rates in the US. Is it the intent of the State Legislature and Governor to solidify chronic preventable diseases as the norm? The passage of such a law smacks of undue influence of food business industries focused on profits with little regard for public safety.
New York’s political leadership demonstrated a real concern for their residents over the profit motive of business. Corporations are not people, even though they may desire that status. The Mississippi State Legislature has forgotten who they are supposed to represent when they let a food industry representative craft public policy that protects his business over the health and safety of the people who elected him. Hopefully the Mississippi Mayors will be able to remind the State Legislature why and by whom they were elected.
There are many reasons why
There are many reasons why Mississippi ranks as one of the state’s with the highest obesity rate, and now they’ve just helped secure that distinction for years to come with this piece of legislation.
Government in this nation
Government in this nation exists to secure our natural rights. Not to protect us from ourselves. Not to tell us what’s best for us. That is our responsibility. Government should not be so large as to be affected by whether citizens are healthy or not. It’s none of government’s business.
This is what you get when busybody elitists start trying to micromanage other people’s lives. You have to cut them off at the pass. You may find sheep in New York, but not Mississippi. These people will live or die by their OWN choices, not those of others. Which is as it should be.
If you want to live someone else’s life for them, play video games or raise animals.
AND let’s see, what else… If you give party X the power to micromanage your life the way they see fit, when party Y comes to power, they will use the same power to micromanage your life the way they see fit. Think ahead, people.
I do not live in Mississippi
I do not live in Mississippi but if I did I would be applauding this. I don’t need or want big brother telling me what I can consume. New York didn’t demonstrate a real concern for residents, New York demonstrated they believe residents need big brother to tell them how to eat, drink and most importantly think.