It's About Responsibility

I do not understand all of the recent hub-hub over junk food, the need for a Maryland Nutrition and Physical Activity Plan, the necessity of taking sodas out of schools, or for treating food producers in the same heavy-handed manner in the tobacco companies. I just don't get it. The health and weight of individuals are the responsibilities of the individuals. Nobody is force-feeding anybody anything. And I am pretty sure that people understand what happens when you eat too much and exercise too little. This is not rocket science.

What is especially unfortunate here is the extensive time spent trying to force sodas out of school. When I was in high school, the soda machines were (generally) turned off during the day, and then available for use for extracurricular students and others after the school day ended. Which is pretty much the exact scenario you are going to wind up with now. How many people will leave Chesapeake High School and stop at Pop's on the way home for a soda? Or will go home and have a Coke? Probably the same number of students who are already doing this.

Instead of trying to force soda out of schools, or initiating litigation, how about we remind people of the virtues of personal responsibility instead?