Mayor Lee Signs SFMS-Endorsed Sugar Sweetened Beverage Ordinances July 1, 2015 Advocacy, News, Public Health Scott Wiener, soda health warning, SSB ordinance, sugar sweetened beverage 0 A trio of sugar sweetened beverage bills that had been endorsed by the SFMS moved swiftly through City Hall and were signed into law by Mayor Ed Lee on June 25. The legislation will target advertising of sodas, by requiring health warnings on posted ads in San Francisco and banning ads on publicly owned property, and by prohibiting the use of city funds for the purchase of sugary beverages. The health warning legislation sponsored by Supervisor Scott Wiener would make San Francisco the first jurisdiction in the nation to require health warnings in connection with sugar-sweetened beverages. The legislation banning advertisements on public property, sponsored by Supervisor Cohen, would make San Francisco the first city to take this action. The unanimous passage of these bills by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors were reported by media outlets throughout Europe, North America, Asia, and the Middle East, and was soon followed by the announcement from SFGH CEO Sue Currin that all sugar sweetened beverages would shortly be removed from San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. These successes reflect the dedication of the SFMS and its leadership to promote the health of the public. The next steps are to extend these legislative and public policy wins to other cities across California, and to begin preparations for a soda tax that will likely be placed on the San Francisco ballot for November 2016. One key for success in the 2016 endeavor will be to further strengthen our relationships with Supervisors Scott Wiener, Malia Cohen, and Eric Mar who have courageously championed this effort over the years in City Hall. More information about the SSB ordinances, including statements from all three Supervisors, will be included in the July/August 2015 issue of San Francisco Medicine. Comments are closed.
