terratogen wrote: ] Through direct lobbying and influence from trade groups, ] the world's junk food oligopolies are once again using their ] economic and political power to make health policy, both in ] the United States and in the United Nations. Whatever the ] concerns about the "globesity" epidemic spreading from the US ] to the rest of the world, the food industry is making sure ] that it won't be hindered by any new laws, guidelines, or ] lawsuits. ] ] The US House of Representatives just passed a law ("The ] Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act", but ] nicknamed the Cheeseburger law) that would protect companies ] that sell junk food (McDonalds, Burger King, and so on) from ] obesity lawsuits. A few of these lawsuits have been much in ] the news lately, using the much-derided argument that "the ] company made me eat it" through its marketing campaign and ] pricing policies. While judges have quickly thrown out the few ] such lawsuits that have come to them, the food companies and ] the beneficiaries of their campaign funds in the legislature ] rammed through the bill, supported by the White House. (It ] still has to pass the Senate, which is considered ] unlikely.) ] ] Its odd that now that the smoking war is more or less settled, ] the fat police have picked up the torch. No one eats junk ] food because it is healthy. Fat food, cigarettes and drugs ] are all about a dopamine fix. The damage that occurs is ] largely the fault of the abuser. We ought to expand the war on drugs to the neurotransmitters/receptors through which they cause their effects. The war on Dopamine and Seratonin! Monitor people's levels, and arrest them if they get out of whack. RE: Oligopoly Watch |