SF Sugary-Drink Ban: Let your voice be heard!!

A much needed change is taking place in San Francisco, due to Mayor Gavin Newsom's recently implemented executive order that places set standards for sugary beverages sold on city property. Unfortunately, Tuesday's article in the SF Chronicle "Sugary-drink ban starts to affect S.F. sites" is hardly applauding the new measure. The Strategic Alliance is urging the many who do support Newsom's executive order to write to the editor of the SF Chronicle. (The Strategic Alliance is an organization reframing the debate on nutrition and physical activity to focus on how corporations and government need to step up responsibility, rather than just focusing on how individual choice affects our health.)
Those San Franciscans who are not aware of the benefits of the order need to be, and here are some angles that can be addressed in response.

*Building healthy communities is a key strategy to improving health: SF is mired by recent surges in Type II diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and the list goes on. Healthy food must be available to everyone!
*Public health has a long, proud history of using policy to protect health and individuals: Every city needs to consider the health of its residents.
*Policies that protect children and families are necessary: when we have a system in place that makes unhealthy food more easily accessible and affordable than healthy food options, we are not protecting our children and families health. Having a new vending policy that provides healthier options will protect our consumers!

Please send your letters ASAP (by July 8th) to have the best chance for publication. The letter to the editor submission form can be found at
http://www.sfgate.com/c/submissions/

See you in the papers!