Rising childhood obesity rates and easing resistance from the food industry may result in meaningful national legislation to limit junk food in schools according to today’s Washington Post. CT was a national leader in 2005 passing a ban on soda in schools, which was vetoed by the Governor. In 2006, the legislature passed and the Governor signed a similar ban that included incentives for schools to meet nutritional food standards. Since then a dozen states have passed similar laws. According to the liquid candy calculator from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a one cent tax per 12 oz. non-diet soda in CT could raise $18 million/year; obesity costs CT over a billion dollars annually, over half of that in Medicaid.
Ellen Andrews