Mayor Bloomberg Wants Soda Ban Extended to All of New York

New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, eager to see his soda ban take flight across the nation, is starting small: he wants New York City’s ban to be applied statewide. 

The city’s ban goes into effect March 12, but it won’t apply to supermarkets and grocery stores, which are regulated by the state’s health department.

Bloomberg was asked why pizza shops, bowling alleys, and Manhattan nightclubs, which will be banned from selling large sodas, shouldn’t have the same freedom as supermarkets to sell 2-liter drinks. Bloomberg responded:

You have exactly the right question, but you’re asking it the wrong way. Keep in mind we’re trying to save the lives of these kids — particularly kids… The state should do exactly the same thing in stores. If you’re going to drink more than 16 ounces of alcohol with something in it, you’re not going to get out of the bar. Or maybe you’re going to go out on a stretcher.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office has not responded to Bloomberg’s comments.