Should children under the age of 13 be allowed to drink soda?

My kid doesnt drink soda. I dont think there should be a law against it, but I'm smart enough not to give my daughter Diet Coke at lunch. My sister in law has been giving her kids soda since they were 2. Its her call.

I grew up drinking milk. Then again, I rode my bike without a helmet and I'm pretty sure was outta the child seat at 2 years old. I'm still alive.

Let parents be parents.

 

I am much more concerned with the lack of physical activity that kids have today than I am with their intake of Coca-Cola.

When I was a kid, we drank lots of sodas, but during the summer, we were outside playing at least 3 to 4 hours a day.

We had our time for video games and cartoons, but that was usually between doing things outside.

It is alarming that kids do not do that anymore. They will sit in front of a video game system 8 to 10 hours a day.

 

I agree but at the same time I loathe the idea of paying more to help these idiots when they develop health problems. There is a weird dichotomy at play when we can stress personal responsibility all the time and, similarly, parental prerogative on these types of matters, but then collectively address the ramifications.

Catch-22, I guess. As usual, another issue is that it's really, really, really hard to prove the causal link between exposure to some chemical or compound and physiological effects. There are a ****load of variables at play.

 

I say we lower the drinking age to 13.

Libertarians=less gouvernment!
Social liberals=more social freedom!
Beer corporations=more profits!
Kids=happier!
Social conservatives=pissed!

it's a win-win-win-win-WIN preposition!!!

...on a slightly more serious tangent, a ban on soda for kids under 13 would be about as unenforceable as a ban on cat/walrus pictures.

 

Hey, has anyone ever thought about taxing it instead?

 

I believe alcohol is not banned below the age of 21 - unsupervised drinking is banned under the age of 21. I think an 18 yr old can have a beer at a restaurant if they are with their parents, no?

At age 13 or below, you're probably mostly getting sodas at home, with your (or someone's) parents, or at school. The first two are unenforceable, and using the alcohol standard, would be legal anyway.

So really, the primary concern is at school - the easier solution is what many districts are already doing: simply don't sell it in vending machines or cafeterias.

 

Thread title vs. poll questions almost had me vote yes.

Doc Hollywood taught me that soda can be useful when little kids get into the wrong cabinets; soda or surgery. no middle ground!

 

This is the funniest part of the entire topic to me. Go to a high school cafeteria. They sell pizzas, burritos, pretty much any junk food you can think of...but sodas is where they draw the line! Comedy gold.

 

I failed. I voted yes, but meant to vote no.

 

No. Alcohol and cigarettes should be banned for youngsters because it is addictive and/or can endanger others.

Soda is bad for you, but so are all sorts of food items. No ice cream for kids? No Trick or Treat on Halloween? No McDonald's? That should be the parent's responsibility, in my opinion. I'm not against disincentives, however, like a 'soda tax'.

 

Should it be banned? No

Should kids under the age of 13 drink soda? Hell No

Should ANYONE drink soda? No

 

your error has caused us great shame. Seppuku is now the only option.

 

There are so many thing around kids are incrementally bad. In OP's logic, Sweets are bad too. Banning such is not the solution, nor is it practical. Yeah, this is pretty r****ded.

 

All it taught me was that Alex P. McFly would never have a serious film career after 1992. Harrelson and Fox, two ships passing in the night.

 

I don't see how you get the movie, restaurant, amusement or convenience retail industries on board.

 

What are some examples of junk food that targets kid? Soda commercials usually don't, that I can recall.

 

Don't ban it, discourage it.

 

^^^
I like my Sweets analogy. Arguably, sugary foods are generally just as bad as Soda. What good are they besides tasting good and stuffing stomach. Shall we require the same labeling on M&M, Reese peanut butter cup, Grandma's chocolate chip cookies ... How about potato chips?
I like the idea of having school not sell Coke, Pepsi products on campus. And also parents should restrain their kids from drinking that kind of stuff. That is all we can do. Drinking soda has become a lifestyle in this country, and to change that is not simply by banning it. Should Parents prepare water in canteen or water bottles for their kids. Would that be considered uncool? I would do that for my kid.