Sugared Softdrink Bans Eat Away At Our Freedom

Are you ready to replace vending machine soda with soy milk and water? Because that's what's happening in San Francisco. According to the San Francisco Gate, citizens and businesses are beginning to feel the impact of a directive banning sugary drinks form vending machines.

There should be "ample choices" of water, "soy milk, rice milk and other similar dairy or non dairy milk," says the directive, which also covers fat and sugar content in vending machine snacks.

Does this sound like "ample choices" to you? Because I think it sounds like a bureaucratic decision to regulate what we ingest. But as more of our health care becomes socialized, the more our dietary habits become everyone else's business.

"There's a direct link between what people eat and drink and the obesity and health care crises in this country," Newsom spokesman Tony Winnicker said. "It's entirely appropriate and not at all intrusive for city government to take steps to discourage the sale of sugary sodas on city property."

Jason Kuzicki, over at the Cato Institute, has more.