California Appeals Court Blocks Law Forcing Soft Drink Adverts to Feature Health Warnings

Sample News Big

In a victory for the soft drink industry, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in California have blocked a ruling in San Francisco which would have required all advertisements for sugary drinks to feature health warnings.

A San Francisco city ordinance originally passed in 2015 required all adverts for sugar sweetened drinks to feature wording that noted that they “contribute to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay”. A coalition of businesses, including the American Beverage Industry Association proceeded to sue to try and stop the city ordinance from taking place, succeeding on appeal after an initial attempt at securing an injunction failed.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the language required by the warning “unduly burdens and chills” commercial speech, and argued that the warning overplayed the risk of soft drinks, particularly with the implication that sugary drinks are greater contributors to obesity and tooth decay than other sweets.

This result is a halt on legislation on an industry that produces products with large quantities of sugar, including sugar taxes in the UK and some localities in the United States. The debate will likely continue in political chambers for a long time, but the effects of large quantities of sugar on teeth has been widely researched, and the best way to maintain healthy teeth and a high dental quality of life is to avoid drinks and foods high in sugar.

Join this Discussion

Comments are closed.