Jasmine Wu
Santa Clara Law
Remember back in the day, when you would go to the nearby McDonalds and look forward to, along with eating your Happy Meal, receiving that coveted limited-ruby-edition Smiley Charm Plush Bear? Or, remember sitting in a Burger King booth and fighting your brother’s Super Ninja toy with your own Power Ninja toy (adding ketchup for dramatic effect, of course), while dunking your chicken nuggets in barbecue sauce and having an all-around good time? Children in Santa Clara were familiar with such feelings, but that was before a county law was passed, banning restaurants from giving away toys with certain children’s meals labeled as unhealthy.
This new ordinance, though supported by people all over the country, has been laid under heavy fire by Santa Clara parents accusing the government of interfering with their rights and abilities to make decisions for their own children. Some parents say that the toys included in fast food children’s meals are just added bonuses to make their children more satisfied with their meals, while other parents are just outraged at the government’s involvement in their children’s mealtimes. In general, the parents against the new law believe it to be, on the government’s part, unnecessary and intrusive.
On the other hand, the parents for the new ordinance support their view by pointing out that nearly one in four children in Santa Clara County is either overweight or obese, and they believe that this new law is a step in a positive direction. “This ordinance breaks the link between unhealthy food and prizes,” said Ken Yeager, the law’s author. “Obviously, toys in and of themselves do not make children obese. But it is unfair to parents and children to use toys to capture the tastes of children when they are young and get them hooked on eating high-sugar, high-fat foods early in life.”
While this is thought to be the first law of its type, Yeager hopes that this new law will affect other cities around the country so they will act in a fashion similar to “ripples that create a wave,” this wave being a reform in the attitude towards fast food.
(will add quotes asap)
Santa Clara Law
Remember back in the day, when you would go to the nearby McDonalds and look forward to, along with eating your Happy Meal, receiving that coveted limited-ruby-edition Smiley Charm Plush Bear? Or, remember sitting in a Burger King booth and fighting your brother’s Super Ninja toy with your own Power Ninja toy (adding ketchup for dramatic effect, of course), while dunking your chicken nuggets in barbecue sauce and having an all-around good time? Children in Santa Clara were familiar with such feelings, but that was before a county law was passed, banning restaurants from giving away toys with certain children’s meals labeled as unhealthy.
This new ordinance, though supported by people all over the country, has been laid under heavy fire by Santa Clara parents accusing the government of interfering with their rights and abilities to make decisions for their own children. Some parents say that the toys included in fast food children’s meals are just added bonuses to make their children more satisfied with their meals, while other parents are just outraged at the government’s involvement in their children’s mealtimes. In general, the parents against the new law believe it to be, on the government’s part, unnecessary and intrusive.
On the other hand, the parents for the new ordinance support their view by pointing out that nearly one in four children in Santa Clara County is either overweight or obese, and they believe that this new law is a step in a positive direction. “This ordinance breaks the link between unhealthy food and prizes,” said Ken Yeager, the law’s author. “Obviously, toys in and of themselves do not make children obese. But it is unfair to parents and children to use toys to capture the tastes of children when they are young and get them hooked on eating high-sugar, high-fat foods early in life.”
While this is thought to be the first law of its type, Yeager hopes that this new law will affect other cities around the country so they will act in a fashion similar to “ripples that create a wave,” this wave being a reform in the attitude towards fast food.
(will add quotes asap)