Laws Concerning Food
Food is among the important necessities that human beings need for growth. In this regard, it is apparent that food is very important. Owing to this, the governments are constantly checking the types of food produced or cooked with the aim of selling to people. These efforts aim at the provision of quality, safe and clean food to the consumers. Therefore, governments will enact laws, which the providers of foods will follow to achieve the objective. The laws serve as guidelines for those dealing in this vital commodity.
That is why, in some instances, the government may enact these laws. Communities have followed this path and enacted laws in an effort to protect people, especially children, from adverse effects of some type of foods. The cheeseburger bill is among the popular laws about food. The proposed law aimed at preventing obese people from suing the fast-food industry concerning their health issues. This law was to apply to Minnesota citizens. In November 2010, San Francisco prohibited Happy Meals, a food product of McDonalds.
New York followed suit and prohibited the use of fats in restaurants. Los Angeles barred opening of new-fast food restaurants in South L.A. The reason behind this was to reduce the high obesity rate in the area. Conversely, the Congress has also shown interest in these regulations. Congress made into law the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which aims at eradicating junk foods in American schools. Communities are also enacting their own food laws. In this regard, some communities are encouraging mothers to keep their placentas after birth. The aim is for them to eat it postulating that the placenta helps in eliminating instances of depression. On the other hand, communities are viewing providing food in a burial ceremony as inappropriate. An analysis of such laws about food reveals both reasonable and unreasonable motives. In the case of cheeseburger bill, it is evident that there is a hidden agenda. This is because it deprives the consumer of negligent claims, which can make the manufacturers of such foods careless. On the other hand, some laws aim at restoring or preventing adverse effects of overconsumption of food, such as obesity.
In many cases, people consume food without prior knowledge of the correct contents of the food. This is why there are agencies, which have the responsibility of checking on such foods to avoid possible harm. The agencies work together with the government to ascertain the effect of fast foods in different areas to prevent or reduce cases of obesity in children. This is because the fast-food restaurants tend to market their foods with the aim of attracting children consumers. The case of Los Angeles is a typical example where the restaurants are banned because of the high obesity rates among children.
Although people may view the laws as deprivation of personal freedoms, I feel it is okay to have such laws. Nevertheless, weird laws, such as the keeping of the placenta, are not proper because the reason behind the eating of the placenta lacks empirical evidence. In addition, the provision of food in burial ceremonies is a violation of individual freedoms. It is my view that such a law should be the individual’s decision on whether to provide food or not. Overall, food laws are effective, especially those that aim to prevent disorders or potential harm.