Milk Or Water: California Bill Aims To Curb Kids’ Soda Drinking At Restaurants

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A new state bill would give kids two options with their meals at restaurants—water or milk.Senate Bill 1192 would make water or milk the default drink for kids meals in a push to reduce obesity and access to sugary drinks for children.


The bill passed the Assembly and is on its way to Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk. If he signs it, California would be the first state in the nation to have such a law.
No one gets in the way of Isaiah Palacios and his soda.
“I need my root beer, I need my Fanta, I need my Sprite,” he said.
But California lawmakers could make that sugary fix harder to get as a new effort to impact the eating habits of children gains momentum at the state Capitol.
“Cancer is fought in the halls of government, not just in the halls of the hospital,” said Stephanie Winn with the American Cancer Society.
Her group is one of many supporting the bill that would force restaurants to automatically serve water or milk with kids meals instead of juice or soda. She argues children’s meals shouldn’t come with a side order of diseases.
“Some of these kids are drinking up to three sodas a day. This is setting them up for tremendous cancer risks down the road. Because now we know that 20 percent of all cancers are tied to being overweight,” she said.
The bill would still allow parents to order alternatives; they would just have to ask for it.

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