You’d think that telling people certain things will kill them (like smoking), or will negatively affect their health (like trans fats) would put the burden on the consumer…. right?
If you’re worried about it, don’t do it!
Evidently, folks in New York City can’t make such decisions without some help (CNN):
The Board of Health voted Tuesday to make New York the nation’s first city to ban artery-clogging artificial trans fats at restaurants — from the corner pizzeria to high-end bakeries.
NYC, of course, has already passed a city-wide smoking ban, but at least a case can be made that second-hand smoke affects others. Clogging one’s own arteries is a self-contained problem.
None of which means this makes sense:
“We don’t think that a municipal health agency has any business banning a product the Food and Drug Administration has already approved,” said Dan Fleshler, a spokesman for the National Restaurant Association.”
*snort*
Somebody’s all confused about Federalism, and local jurisdictions… and (ahem) has one heckuva lot of faith in the FDA.
I’m not defending the NY law, but one should acknowledge the reasoning behind it: with trans-fat cooking oils in such wide use, telling consumers to make their choices isn’t really a solution – there aren’t choices in many cases, and it’s hard to find out what a lot of food has been cooked in.
I wish they allowed enough discretion for those restaurants that believe their food tastes better with different fats. Perhaps they could simply impose a fat tax that made the safer fats less expensive while allowing individual choice.
A taste test only a few years ago concluded that french fries tasted best made in Horse Fat.
Horse fat? Are you serious??? I’m thinkin’ MickyD’s might find that a bit too high a PR hurdle to overcome.
One thing about NYC is the current mayor – who it appears is a real health nut.
When all is said and done, though, the Feds may have the last word, and the courts may go all activist on NYC and put a stop to this nonsense – all it will take is a bit of creative application of the “Interstate Commerce clause”…
~EdT.
I so hope that if/when this is ever enforced, that the restaurants prepare special meals for Hizzoner and the City Council members – with all the fried foods cooked with Olestra. I can’t wait to hear Jay Leno’s next round of “leakage” jokes…
~EdT.