Is there finally some sanity in the San Francisco Happy Meals toy ban? Mayor Gavin Newsom vetoes the toy ban, and to many this is good news.
It all started when a group of people decided to ban toys in all kids meals sold in San Francisco. To be fair, the meals could have toys if very strict nutritional standards were met. The Board of Supervisors actually approved the legislation, but the mayor vetoes the toy ban as promised.
Will Mayor’s Toy Ban Veto Make a Difference?
The mayor did his part by vetoing the toy ban; however, it may not be enough. In fact, the new law banning toys in kids meals will probably still end up on the books in San Francisco because the legislation passed 8 to 3 originally, and that is the amount needed to override the veto.
As of now, the group has not officially scheduled a vote to override the mayor’s veto. The entire point of the kids meal toy ban was to help fight childhood obesity, which has been rising at an alarming rate. The goal is actually a good one, but the ban crosses the line. Ultimately, it is up to parents to help their children choose appropriate food. If parents are not doing their jobs well, then perhaps there needs to be more education about good food choices. Banning toys likely won’t change anything – it simply inserts the government even further into people’s lives.
So the San Francisco mayor vetoes the toy ban, and that is probably good. Who knows if it will actually hold up though? The city may end up not having toys in its Happy Meals by December 2011 anyway. At least the mayor has tried to stop the madness here.
© Copyright: News Today Online by Kate James at Gather.com
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