Shouldn't we ban junk and fast foods?

Question

Long term fast food is just as bad for you as cocaine. Americans are becoming fatter and having more health problems. Shouldn't the goverment step in and stop the consumption of these types of food for the common good?

Self control is great, but if people won't do it for themselves, someone has to step in don't they? Our tax dollars are footing the bill for a lot of the healthcare problems people are having. In that case don't we have the right to tell people they have to change their diets?

Answer 1

There is so much talk of government tackling people who eat unhealthily, and murmurings of banning this and that, but let’s ask the question why do our governments allow toxins to be added to our drinking water and allow companies to introduce toxins to soft drinks. Fluoride has created massive health problems that is calculable through the residues accumulated in human bones, and degeneration in brain tissue. Meanwhile the authoritative body that comes under the guise of Codex Alimentarious have reintroduced into the food chain, toxin that are known to have serious problems to the health of the world population?
There are so many areas where government are responsible for poisoning the masses i.e. through our drinking water, through the air we breath, through the soil we grow our food in that has implications on the general status of the health of our public at large.
The question whether we are eating the wrong food side steps our focus from the real culprits who are, like tobacco companies and distilleries mass murderers - though the criterion for murdering is skewed to the time it takes to kill someone. Equally the government are killing people on a massive scale but because the time it takes and the casualties thinly spread where the true causes are obfuscated from scrutiny, they like so many other large corporations, governments too can literally get away with mass murder.
People are so dumbed -down by the pollution and added chemicals that are allowed to enter the food chain, it is little surprise then, that the majority of people who are caught up in the modern life style are also caught up in the unhealthy eating habits too.
The real demons though are the large corporations that rule the masses through pharmaceuticals and petrochemical pollutions, not the fat kids on the block who are simply responding to the flow, these are the visible casualties of a much larger, fatter and richer population that sit at the top of the pyramid. And of course there are the holier than thou people who might not display degenerative diseases, but are non the less afflicted and doomed to die from the poisons they are imbibing through their food and water whether it be organic or otherwise. It is time people woke up to what is going on around them and tweak a few political ears, or we can just go with the flow and let them perform their version of Harold Shipman on all of us.
Most people would want to be assurred that their government has their interests at heart. Look at the detail and ask your self, are they really?

Answer 2

This is a good question. I do believe that people should exercise their own self-control. They know that eating fast food three times per day is bad, but if they don't want to change, it's their funeral. I'm not going to stop them, nor would I want the government to do that either.
You should read Eric Schlosser's book "Fast Food Nation" if you haven't already. It delves into the socio-economic impact that the fast food industry has on the nation. There are a lot of fast food head honchos who are bed fellows with congressmen, state reps and lobbyists.
Do you think it's a coincidence that there are no unions for fast food workers? Do you think it's a coincidence that their food standards are what they are? Nope. Someone's getting paid - big time - to keep things they way they are. The more profit they can make, the better. The food quality and contents do not matter to them. It's all about the money.

Answer 3

it is the joy of free choice. If the government stepped in and banned it what would be next. If this was to happen you would hear the voices scream all over the world about the controlling goverments. then what? They could control the amount of children, what we spend money on???anything could happen once the government had that power.
Maybe a higher tax on those foods that would then put the money into the health budget.

Answer 4

Wouldn't work. Under-5-year-olds don't come into McDonalds or Burger King by themselves with their own money, their parents buy this junk for them. At best, you could maybe ban fast food chains from TV advertising aimed at kids -- no more Ronald McDonald, no more King from Burger King. Like that. Problem is, the kids have already developed a taste for this stuff, and they ask for it. Even if you no longer market directly to kids, even if you refuse to sell junk food to any adult accompanied by a preschooler, still if the parents are determined to feed their kids burgers and chicken nuggets, they'll figure out a way. Better to provide nutritional EDUCATION to parents -- maybe as a series of anti-junk-food public service announcements, like they do with anti-smoking ads.

Answer 5

Wait a minute? I think that would be ridiculous. It is the individuals choice to chow down what they want. I do admire the government and fast food companies trying to better the situation about health and obesity, but it is a matter of self control of the individual. I don't understand why people would need government to help control their lifestyle. (It's just a waste of tax money.)

I also don't understand why people blame fast food companies for their unhealthy and unhappy self.

Well, should we ban junk food and fast food? Anything can be hazardous to our health if we eat too much of something.

Answer 6

Your first problem in this line of thinking is to involve the Government. What's the government going to do???? Day by day more of our personal rights are being infringed upon because of the "Government" Get real sweety. The creator gave us all a brain to think with, and to make personal choices, and that is the keyword here "Choices" If you or I choose to pig out on fast food and junk, then that is our personal choice, and nobody else's d*mn business. A person has the individual choice of deciding whether or not they want to take better care of their health, and nobody else has the right, especially the government...to make that choice for them. The government is not your friend.....Wake up!!!

Answer 7

are you for real? yes some people are overweight and they need to do something about it but to even for a moment try and suggest that the government should do something about to the extent of actually banning foods is it just absolute madness. i for one would not like to live in a world where someone else told me what i could or could not eat, especially when it was coming from someone who quite obviously had a personal problem with overweight people that would really be taking things too far and I'm sure i am not the only person who thinks that. people just need to be more sensible about how they eat receive help if necessary

Answer 8

It's not simply a matter of banning fast food, it's making the fast food companies more responsible for what goes into their products e.g. salt, fat, MSG, etc. People should be allowed to decide for themselves what goes into their bodies and the idea of it being banned by a government is tantamount to fascism; I know that fast food is bad for me in excessive amounts, but it doesn't stop me from having it once in a while.

Answer 9

You know I think tiny tanks and shorts are horrible and most people do not look that good in them. I think we should ban those too. Oh wait...Don't forget chocolate and chips. You're all for banning this and banning that but my guess is let the government start banning stuff you like and you'll be all up in arms....

Answer 10

What would be on the list after that? Alcohol, tobacco, perhaps certain occupations...

The government is not responsible for peoples' poor choices.

I know what you're talking about, but self-control is the issue here, not government intervention.