http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060927/ap_on_he_me/diet_trans_fat_ban

Quote

NEW YORK - Three years after the city banned smoking in restaurants, health officials are talking about prohibiting something they say is almost as bad: artificial trans fatty acids. ADVERTISEMENT The city health department unveiled a proposal Tuesday that would bar cooks at any of the city's 24,600 food service establishments from using ingredients that contain the artery-clogging substance, commonly listed on food labels as partially hydrogenated oil. Artificial trans fats are found in some shortenings, margarine and frying oils and turn up in foods from pie crusts to french fries to doughnuts. Doctors agree that trans fats are unhealthy in nearly any amount, but a spokesman for the restaurant industry said he was stunned the city would seek to ban a legal ingredient found in millions of American kitchens.

Of course theres going to be an outcry over this by businesses, but they all complained about loosing business when NYC banned smoking in restaurants and bars, and guess what? NOTHING HAPPENED.

I think its a great idea, although the sheer amount of places that probably use that stuff would make it hard to regulate.


Unfortionately, what I could see happening is some people could now justify ordering a larger portion of fries of something because they are now "healthier" so nothing is actually accomplished.

I don't see the ban working, it is not cost effective. Unless the food ingredient suppliers cooperate all together. Which I think is imposable.

Who will enforce the law? The cops sure as heck wont because they sure as heck arent going to go arrest the guy who runs the doughnut shop!

Yeah, banning the use of a LEGAL food substance in PRIVATE restaurants, REAL smart.

What a friggin joke. As long as there is disclosure, people need to make their own descisions; I hate this nanny-state bullcrap.

And the ingredients are more expensive, so the food manufacturer will just raise the price on the product. So you the consumer will have to pay more than the same products with trans-fats.

Comparing this to a cigarette ban is just stupid, IMO. Big difference: somebody next to you eats unhealthy food, you don’t get second hand fat. The government needs to stop wasting so much time protecting people from themselves.

Quote (madmanfrommars @ Sep. 27 2006, 7:46 pm)

Of course theres going to be an outcry over this by businesses, but they all complained about loosing business when NYC banned smoking in restaurants and bars, and guess what? NOTHING HAPPENED.

Have you actually ever spoken to a bar/restaurant owner about that? I know a few in MN who are really badly losing business becuase of the ban.

Quote (Captain Seavey @ Sep. 27 2006, 11:25 pm)

Comparing this to a cigarette ban is just stupid, IMO. Big difference: somebody next to you eats unhealthy food, you don't get second hand fat. The government needs to stop wasting so much time protecting people from themselves.

You sure about that, there a lot of fat people out there.  

Quote (Captain Seavey @ Sep. 27 2006, 11:25 pm)

Comparing this to a cigarette ban is just stupid, IMO. Big difference: somebody next to you eats unhealthy food, you don’t get second hand fat. The government needs to stop wasting so much time protecting people from themselves.

Following that line of thinking, all the currently banned narcotics and other illegal drugs should be banned too right?

Quote (LightningBoy @ Sep. 27 2006, 11:31 pm)

Quote (madmanfrommars @ Sep. 27 2006, 7:46 pm) Of course theres going to be an outcry over this by businesses, but they all complained about loosing business when NYC banned smoking in restaurants and bars, and guess what? NOTHING HAPPENED. Have you actually ever spoken to a bar/restaurant owner about that? I know a few in MN who are really badly losing business becuase of the ban.

A few small bars/businesses is a SMALL price to pay for what your getting in return.

Personally I like having healthy air wherever I go. (basically all public places where I live are smoke free)