This summer, we here at Sip & Savor have been sharing a lot about New York City Mayor Bloomberg and his Board of Health’s proposal to ban the sale of soft drinks over 16 ounces. Today we’d like to share with readers an op-ed by Hazel N. Dukes, president of NAACP New York State Conference, about why she does not support the ban.

Here is an excerpt from The Huffington Post on why Ms. Dukes believes that this ban will not work to fight the complex problem of obesity:

The proposal is ineffective in that it does not get to the root of the problem of obesity in New York or in the African-American community. A real solution would address issues like access to healthier foods particularly in the food deserts that exist in low-income neighborhoods. It would consider the need to educate, rather than dictate, how to make positive choices about health, nutrition and exercise.

Furthermore it is wrong to assume, as this proposal seemingly does, that given the proper education and tools, people are incapable of making these decisions for themselves. I strongly object to the imposition on personal freedom suggested by this ban.

We hope you’ll take a moment to read the full op-ed, available here, and share it with friends and family. For more information on what you can do to get involved, visit the New Yorkers for Beverage Choices coalition website.