Why Food Must Be Regulated Like Tobacco

The obesity news just keeps getting worse, the latest example being the study warning that 4 in 10 American adults could be obese in less than 20 years. "Americans eat too damn much," writes David Lazarus in the Los Angeles Times. And though it may be distasteful to get government involved in our dinners, it's become necessary: It's clear that "millions of Americans can't be trusted to look after their own well-being," while everybody else gets stuck with their health bills.

"It's time that food and drink received the same level of regulatory oversight as tobacco and alcohol," writes Lazarus. Let's cut down on kids' junk-food marketing; if you hate Joe Camel, you should hate Toucan Sam. Let's place a "cigarette-style tax" on sugary cereal and sodas; proceeds could benefit anti-obesity programs. We could also "raise insurance rates for the overweight," as with smokers. Trouble is, "Americans don't like being told what to do, even when their behavior is killing them." Click through for the full piece. (More food stories.)