Food Bans - Where do we draw the line?

Banning Foods

I was watching a documentary on CBC last night about cities that were banning certain foods.   In New York the Mayor has banned large size soft drinks which seems stupid to me because if people wanted more pop they would just buy another one which just produces more packaging waste.

In California they are banning Foie Gras because of pressure from people saying that it is cruel the way they force feed the ducks.  This practice has been going on for generations and all of a sudden they want to ban it?  How come people in France aren't fat and they eat foie gras?
Hmmm, maybe it's because they don't eat it in excess.

They want to ban Salt in Canada and there are places in Europe that want to tax fast foods.

Here's a thought!...

1. Why doesn't the government go after manufacturers that sneak all sorts of things that aren't real food into the food we buy?

2. Why doesn't the government provide a tax incentive benefit to people that maintain healthy weights?

3.  Why doesn't the government fine farmer's that use toxic pesticides on their crops?

4.  Why doesn't the government provide tax incentives and subsidies to farmer's that grow Certified Organic Foods?

5.  Why doesn't the government legislate food education programs in schools to teach kids how to eat for their health and provide them with the tools to make the right choices and teach them how to buy and prepare foods and have only healthy foods available in schools instead of vending machines.

6.  Why don't we have healthy drive through restaurants instead of McDonald's and Tim Horton's on every corner.   Why doesn't someone find a way to have a drive through where you can drive in a pick up some cooked Kale instead of french fries?

7.  How is the government planning on enforcing these bans when they can't even afford to pay their debts?

8.  Why is the government banning foods in restaurants when they receive their goods from other sources?

9.  Why is everyone in North America getting fatter every year?  Is it because of foie gras?  How many people do you know eat foie gras on a regular basis?  I have never had foie gras in my life.   Do you think people in a small town living on assistance are buying foie gras?

10.  Why is there a ban from salt from restaurants but no regulations on the amount of salt and chemicals put into processed foods?

When is all of this going to stop?   When are we going to totally going to lose our right to make our own choices?

To me the answer is education and having healthy options that taste as good and cost the same as unhealthy options.  If someone had a choice between baked sweet potato fries and fried white potato french fries and they were the same price then they could make a fair decision on which one they would choose based on their preference and how concerned they are about their own health.

The reason I am overweight is because of my own food choices and the fact that I spend way too much time sitting on this computer.  But it's my choice.
I sometimes choose to eat healthy and sometimes I choose to eat something I know isn't good for me.

But what I know is that it's not always easy to make informed choices when manufacturers or providers lie and hide things that are in the foods we eat.

That's what the government should have their hands into... not banning foie gras and salt.