The City of San Francisco first for soda warning labels
San Francisco supervisors are the first in the nation to approve the inclusion of a health warning on ads for sugary sodas and some other drinks, saying such beverages contribute to obesity, diabetes and other health problems.
Dr. Harold Goldstein is the Executive Director for the California Center for Public Health Advocacy. He applauds the move by San Francisco, “The new warning label requirement on sugary drink ads does exactly what the beverage industry has long called for: provides consumers with education. Now, for every advertising message saying ‘live for now’ or ‘open happiness,’ consumers will also receive a science-based reminder that these products contribute to diabetes, obesity and tooth decay.”
The ordinance passed Tuesday requires the warnings on print advertising within city limits -billboards, walls, taxis and buses. It would not apply to ads appearing in newspapers, circulars, broadcast outlets or on the Internet.
The ordinance defines sugar-sweetened beverages as drinks with more than 25 calories from sweeteners per 12 ounces. Advertising for such drinks as Coca-Cola Zero would not require a warning, but ads for regular Coca-Cola would.
Goldstein hopes other cities follow San Francisco’s lead, “Sugary drinks are the single largest source of excess calories in our diets, and countless studies have shown that having just one sugary drink a day increases a child’s risk of becoming overweight by nearly 60 percent, while also increasing an adult’s risk of diabetes by 26 percent.” He goes on to say, “I’m thrilled that San Francisco has taken the model introduced by State Senator Bill Monning and put it into action on the local level. Hopefully, other elected leaders at the city and state level will follow suit and put the welfare of their residents before the desire of the beverage industry.”
The ordinance also requires warnings for other sugary drinks such as sports and energy drinks, vitamin waters, iced teas and certain juices that exceed the 25 calorie limit.
