New York City's Plan To Limit Soft Drinks' Sizes Could Influence Policy Across US.

The Washington Post  (6/3, Vastag, Aizenman) reported that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's plan to cut soft drinks down to a smaller size is detailed in the Post, which includes perspectives from health officials and the American Beverage Association, which says New York "has an unhealthy obsession with attacking soft drinks." The Post noted that "what sets New York's proposal apart is that it addresses a new aspect of the obesity problem -- portion size." Should Bloomberg's plan succeed, "it really opens up a new front," according to Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, who added, "I'm sure it will encourage other cities and states to seek similar measures to reduce portion sizes."

        The New York Times  (6/3, A15, Brown, Subscription Publication) reported that "alongside the announcement last week by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York supporting an outright ban on the sale of sweetened drinks larger than 16 ounces," the city of Richmond, California, is considering a "proposal for a one-cent-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, which is to appear on the November ballot." The Times described the economically needy neighborhoods in Richmond and how there are very few safe areas for children to run or play. This reality has served as one argument among supporters of the proposed tax for trying to discourage soda consumption and reduce obesity.