Requires sugar-sweetened beverages to be labeled with a safety warning

2 Co-sponsors

• Liz Krueger
• José M. Serrano

Title of bill

An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to the labeling of sugar-sweetened beverages with warnings

Purpose

Requires a safety warning label on certain sugar-sweetened beverages, concentrates used to make sugar-sweetened beverages, beverage dispensing machines, and vending machines that dispense sugar-sweetened beverages in order to increase public awareness regarding the health ailments associated with consumption of sugar sweetened beverages, especially obesity, diabetes and tooth decay.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 sets forth the short title of the bill, which is the "sugar- sweetened beverages safety warning act."

Section 2 amends the agriculture and markets law by adding a new section 204-e, which provides for definitions relating to the implementation of this act, the labeling requirements for sealed beverage containers, multipacks of sugar-sweetened beverages in sealed beverage containers, concentrates, vending machines, and beverages dispensing machines. In addition, Section 2 provides for enforcement language, including certain penalty provisions, while also providing for clarification of violations as they relate to certain retailers.

Section 3 is a severability clause.

Section 4 sets the effective date.

Justification

The prevalence of obesity in the state has increased dramatically over the past 30 years. Although no group has escaped the epidemic, low income and minority communities are disproportionately affected. Obesity is of particular concern because it is also attributed to health ailments such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, asthma high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure and certain types of cancer.

Medical costs are also a growing concern; people who are obese are dramatically higher than for those of normal weight. Overweight and obesity account for $147 billion in health care cost nationally, or 9 percent of all medical spending, with one-half of these costs paid publicly through the Medicare and Medicaid programs which put a strain on the states limited resources.

Individuals who drink one to two sugar sweetened beverages per day have a 26 percent higher risk for developing type II diabetes. Sugar sweetened beverages are a unique contributor to excess caloric consumption.

There is extensive research on the link between obesity, tooth decay, and diabetes to the consumption of sweetened beverages such as soft drinks, energy drinks, sweet teas and sports drinks. Evidence suggests that health warnings can increase knowledge and reduce of harmful products such as sugar-sweetened beverages.

Legislative history

New bill

Fiscal implications

To be determined.

Effective date

This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law.