SAN FRANCISCO—San Francisco has become the first city in the United States to impose mandatory health warnings on all advertisements for sodas and sugary drinks.
In an effort to raise public awareness concerning the negative side effects of drinking sugary drinks in excess, the health warnings will be very similar to those seen in alcohol and tobacco advertisements.
Among other things, excessive quantities of soda have been linked to obesity, tooth decay, and diabetes.
In addition, the Board of Supervisors has announced that advertisement of sugary drinks will be banned on city-owned property and city agencies will be prohibited from purchasing them.
The warning will read: “WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay. This is a message from the City and County of San Francisco.”
The restrictions will be imposed upon beverages that exceed 25 calories per twelve ounces, a measure that the American Beverage Association, which publicly represents the $141 billion industry, believes to be far to strict.
“The San Francisco proposal is not intended to help consumers, nor will it impact public health,” the ABA said in a statement. “Instead it attempts only to frighten consumers by providing misleading labeling about products that are safe and can be part of a balanced diet.”
Though the ordinance was approved by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, the law must still be approved by Mayor Ed Lee. Should Lee give his approval, the law would go into effect 30 days later.
