Name
Professor
Course
Date
Legislating Behavioral Change
It is true that these laws and regulations take away an individual’s freedom to choose, and also added taxes hurt people with low income more. These laws and regulations make people lose the very essence of freedom that enables them to enjoy a great restaurant meal. A group of people is threatening this freedom with an agenda of doing away with fat, caffeine, alcohol, horseradish, meat, and chemical additives. The media support this group, but the National Restaurant Association is also working hand in hand with journalists to fight back and dismiss myths and create a better image. However, I think it is right for consumers to have information on calories in various dishes on menus.
I do not support legislation like calorie counts on menus and added taxes on soft drinks. This is because people are intelligent, and they do not require calorie counts of healthy or unhealthy foods. People are aware of when having healthy on an unhealthy diet. If they choose to have an unhealthy diet is because they don’t care and when they decide to have healthy food is because they have enough information that enables them to make healthier choices. Therefore, calorie counts on menus do not affect the ability of people to make a choice. Also, most of the information about calorie counts is entirely based on myths that are not examined and definitely not founded. Added taxes on soft drinks will surely fall heavily on the poor than the rich, which is unfair and also an economic burden for them. Additionally, adding taxes on soft drinks may be effective because people can substitute sugary beverages for sugary food, such as ice creams.
Work Cited
Chaiken, Miriam S. “Fast Food Nation.” Nutritional Anthropology 24.2 (2001): 24-25.