Albany, NY – Today the New York State Assembly Codes Committee will be considering a bill introduced by Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Bronx), Chair of the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection, which would require warning labels on sugar-sweetened beverages sold in New York, for the first time in the legislation’s history (A.2320-B).

Assemblyman Dinowitz said, “It is widely accepted that the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is a primary contributor to the colossally high rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease in the United States; killing tens of thousands and costing our country over $147 billion in additional health care costs. The Institute of Medicine estimates that 20% of the total weight increase in the United States between 1977 and 2007 can be attributed to sugar-sweetened beverages. Given what we know about the dangers that sugar-sweetened drinks pose to our society, it is only appropriate that we place warning labels on these products, allowing consumers to make more informed choices about what they purchase.”

“We are facing a public health crisis, not unlike the one created by the tobacco industry, and just as we labeled tobacco products in 1966, we must now label sugar-sweetened beverages in 2016. As the sponsor of this legislation, I am hopeful that the Assembly Codes Committee passes this vitally important piece of legislation, which has the potential save thousands of lives.”