An example of policy making by a city: NYC's ban on large servings of sugary soda's. Some argue its an unjustifiable limit on individual autonomy and decision making. Here's an argument that it is an appropriate response to a legitimate problem:
To (loosely) paraphrase Oliver Wendell Holmes, your right to harm
yourself stops when I have to pay for it. And just as we all pay for the
ravages of smoking, we all pay for the harmful effects of Coke, Snapple
and Gatorade.
Let’s be clear:
Sugar-sweetened beverages are nothing more than sugar delivery systems,
and sugar is probably the most dangerous part of our current diet.
People will argue forever about whether sugar-sweetened beverages lead
directly to obesity, but Bloomberg’s ban should be framed first and
foremost as an effort to reduce sugar consumption. Good.
