Let’s say it’s a hot day in New York City and you want a nice cold drink. You go to in to the store and order a large soda. The cashier’s response might surprise you. You will be told the large size is illegal. But all you have to do is order two medium sizes if you still want that much soda. This shows how pointless this government regulation is. “Myths, Lies, and Complete Stupidity” by John Stossel has brought a huge debate to the table. Should the government regulate our food? It’s not the government’s job to tell us what we can eat and drink because it’s not efficient, it would hurt businesses, and it’s not giving us freedom.

These regulations are not efficient. It’s too easy it would be to get around them if you really wanted to. Another topic mentioned in the John Stossel episode is the “fat tax”. This is another foolish regulation. A fat tax was used in Europe and was repealed quickly because it didn’t work. Why would it work in the U.S. and not in Europe? People will still buy the things they enjoy even if it costs more. Enforcing these pointless regulations would also be a waste of taxpayers’ dollars. Who would want to pay for something that doesn’t work?

John Stossel also referred to the donut stand in New York City. He then did a taste test between the normal donuts and the fat free, sugarless ones. The people almost all preferred the normal ones and disliked the fat free ones. If the government told the business they could only sell the healthier ones, they would struggle to survive. The best solution would be to sell both kinds. If regulations were put in, this may not be an option. Healthy menu choices are good to have but they shouldn’t be the only option. Businesses all throughout the country would suffer if these regulations were put in place.

The biggest reason this regulation is bad is it not giving us freedom. Our government is telling us what we can eat and what we can’t. That doesn’t sound like a free country to me. If I feel like drinking a large soda I will. It’s my right as an American to do so. I know what’s healthy for me better than the government does. People need to know what they can eat based on their genetics and physical activities. A regulation wouldn’t fix anything if people didn’t put in their part on being healthy. And who says a food regulation would be the only one they could add in the future? It’s up to us to make good choices for our bodies, not the governments.

You can still live a healthy live and eat fast food once in a while. Soda is also fine in moderation. Just because something can be unhealthy if you go overboard doesn’t mean it needs to be outlawed. The whole concept of the government telling us what to do and treating us like babies is disturbing. It’s almost offensive because they don’t think we are capable of making our own choices. The fact it will hurt small businesses and waste money with pointless efforts makes this even worse. The conclusion to this is simple. Food regulations are just a bad idea.