Now they are going to ban free refills on drinks?

Well it's been fun.... but I must go... perhaps I will stop by mcdonald's on my way for my $1 oversized soda to get fat off of. And yippee cause it's my educated choice.

The fact that people would even get upset over banning free refills is just beyond me. It is certainly not the end of the world and believe me you will survive. If you are so desperate for more soda just buy another. I just don't see the big deal at all. You're so upset about the government regulating this, you want free choice, etc... but they regulate so many other things already!

Actually, I get upset about the government regulating things they have no business regulating... regardless of how inane it is... but again, that's why I vote Libertarian.... But I do find it funny that in Sweden it's legal to have sex with a dog, but not ok to have however many "free" refills one would like... (just trying to make a comparison based on liberal (ie to be free, individualism, etc) tendencies of the country... I really couldn't care less what a person does or doesn't do as long is it is not infringing on the rights of others)

sweden refills aren't banned, they just don't do it. Like most places in Europe, unless its in chained resturants i.e subway etc

sweden, france, uk are all free countries like the US, not as much a free market but we have just as much freedom, you americans don't have as much freedom as alot of you think .. well the smart ones i have met seem to realise they don't but ones online don't seem to.. its sad.

Nope, I totally realize it.... I have stated that if too many of our rights are restricted (which is why I fight against things that are seemingly inane like free refills) that I would definitely move to a European country.... while I also prefer things like free markets (truly free markets, not this corporatist crap that our government and progressive think tanks tout as "free markets")... I prefer individual freedom more so.

Most European countries are Mixed Markets, and tbh, apart from the Gun thing i DON'T see much difference in freedom and rights, although more types of food are banned i.e corn syrup, which makes sense as health care is somewhat free. But i don't think this is taking away, individual freedom. Maybe if they tell you you can't buy MORE drink, but not to say you can't have more Free drinks, unless its water.

People kill themselves with over the counter drugs. Better get rid of those too.

K...so what if McDonald's was giving out free OTC drugs with every purchase?

School nurses aren't even allowed to give out OTC drugs... I doubt that it would fly. Just as good an argument as the guns, though. Great job.

How is it any different than soda? It doesn't kill people immediately, There are no "second hand" OTC drug deaths, and its perfectly legal for anyone to buy...just like soda.

People kill themselves with over the counter drugs. Better get rid of those too.

K...so what if McDonald's was giving out free OTC drugs with every purchase?

Thats there choice...and guess what...thanks to are supposed freedom in this country, you have a choice not to buy it.

Free markets will also even that kind of crap out. If someone wants it they will buy it, if they dont, they wont.

Lmao...so you'd be cool with McD's giving out free cough syrup?

Ya why? I got a free sample of deodorant the last time I bought a magazine...whats the difference? If McDonalds wants to waste money on that, that's there business...not the governments.

Hmmm...

Use too much deoderant = You smell like a douche.

Use too much cough syrup = You end up high or in the hospital.

Maybe I am retarded, and like to eat deodorant = End up in the hospital...whats the difference?

:laugh:

I'm actually LMAO at this. Oh no, actually PAYING for what you drink! If you want more soda, get your wallet out. What a freaking sense of entitlement. *rolls eyes*

Shouldn't it be the businesses decision to charge for refills? The government doesn't give two ****s about our health. This is about generating extra tax revenue plain and simple. People WILL pay for refills, and they will be charged more tax. Open up your eyes.

Open yours. The rest of the world doesn't do free refills. User pays.

Shouldn't it be the businesses choice, you know the people who SELL the product to determine if they want to charge for refills?

This is government meddling in business again.

If you don't like it, there are other countries outside of the States you know. :laugh:

I say if someone feels like being unhealthy then so be it...

They'll need us healthy and strong so that they can work us to death, though... :P

or tax us to death...

People kill themselves with over the counter drugs. Better get rid of those too.

K...so what if McDonald's was giving out free OTC drugs with every purchase?

Thats there choice...and guess what...thanks to are supposed freedom in this country, you have a choice not to buy it.

Free markets will also even that kind of crap out. If someone wants it they will buy it, if they dont, they wont.

Lmao...so you'd be cool with McD's giving out free cough syrup?

Ya why? I got a free sample of deodorant the last time I bought a magazine...whats the difference? If McDonalds wants to waste money on that, that's there business...not the governments.

Hmmm...

Use too much deoderant = You smell like a douche.

Use too much cough syrup = You end up high or in the hospital.

Maybe I am retarded, and like to eat deodorant = End up in the hospital...whats the difference?

If you are into eating deoderant I'm guessing you shouldn't be allowed in public anyway.

If your into using too much cough syrup you shouldnt be allowed in public anways.

People kill themselves with over the counter drugs. Better get rid of those too.

K...so what if McDonald's was giving out free OTC drugs with every purchase?

Thats there choice...and guess what...thanks to are supposed freedom in this country, you have a choice not to buy it.

Free markets will also even that kind of crap out. If someone wants it they will buy it, if they dont, they wont.

Lmao...so you'd be cool with McD's giving out free cough syrup?

Ya why? I got a free sample of deodorant the last time I bought a magazine...whats the difference? If McDonalds wants to waste money on that, that's there business...not the governments.

Hmmm...

Use too much deoderant = You smell like a douche.

Use too much cough syrup = You end up high or in the hospital.

Maybe I am retarded, and like to eat deodorant = End up in the hospital...whats the difference?

If you are into eating deoderant I'm guessing you shouldn't be allowed in public anyway.

If your into using too much cough syrup you shouldnt be allowed in public anways.

You mean like a teenage kid looking to get high? Agreed...they should be at home playing videogames and being generally awkward. But they aren't. And if it was your teenage kid getting high off cough syrup that he got from McD's I'd bet you'd be singing a different tune.

Can you say free enterprise? Maybe not much longer. If the restaurants don't wish to give free refills that's wonderful, it's their perogative. Government has no business regulating that sort of thing,. No one is forcing any one to drink more than they wish to drink in any of these places What about free coffee refills? Why are they ok, people load them up with sugar. Or will government mandate that the restaurants can only give you artificial sweetener?

Its getting pretty out of control. Forcing people to lose weight will never work. Next thing you know they'll tax you for being Obese.

To be honest...I have no problem with that.

And I'm considered obese.

This argument is off focus. Local governments have the power (the Fed actually does too as SCOTUS affirmed in the recent PPACA hearings) to regulate for health purposes. The government interest is not the problem, the problem is the means are not tailored to that purported interest. Rather than eliminating the free refil, the state should use tax money to subsidize organic farmers who grow and sell within the state, or give cities incentives to host more frequent farmers markets in their high traffic areas, and this is mass specific bc of their health care system- impose higher premiums on people who are obese (not by pure bmi but by a more accurate system)

Now you can all argue until you are blue in the face that the governing bodies should not have this authority, but know your discussion is an idealistic one. I personally like to focus my argument on things that can be changed. So I am submitting my thoughts on the legal argument presented, not the "if I had it my way" argument. While the latter is fun in some contexts, I'm a little too allergic to straw for what is happening here.

People kill themselves with over the counter drugs. Better get rid of those too.

K...so what if McDonald's was giving out free OTC drugs with every purchase?

School nurses aren't even allowed to give out OTC drugs... I doubt that it would fly. Just as good an argument as the guns, though. Great job.

How is it any different than soda? It doesn't kill people immediately, There are no "second hand" OTC drug deaths, and its perfectly legal for anyone to buy...just like soda.

Not everyone can buy OTC drugs, btw. You can't send your 12 year old in to buy certain OTC items. It's a no go.

Key word = certain.

The fact is the government most likely wouldn't allow cough syrup to be given out for free with purchase...so why should something like soda which has become increasingly notorious for being a huge part of an obese persons diet...in a country where our obesity rates are absolutely ridiculous...not be controlled as well?

Cigarettes are still legal...but they are expensive. Alcohol is legal...but its expensive. Guns are legal...but they are expensive.

Now do I think a refill of soda should cost the same as a pack of cigs? Hell no...if I want a refill I should be able to get one at a normal price. But a normal price is $1-$2...not free.

Meh. I never understood the point of limitless free refills on soda.
If I want 80 cokes, I'll pay for them!!

I mean, unless they start doing free refills on whiskey - why do it on soda?

So I guess what I'm trying to say is...WHERE IS MY FREE WHISKEY REFILL?!

It is just not good for a human to drink so much rubbish! A couple of cups is fine but this is why we all have a weight problem as we will not be told what is not good for us & we allow the food industry to persuade us that the rubbish that they produce is good for us - IT IS NOT GOOD FOR US!!

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Completely agree. It's mostly only in Northern American that you can get free refills. All of Europe you pay for what you drink. The government is only trying to take steps to encourage healthier lifestyles but you can still drink your litres of coke if you like. Let's not forget it's not a fundamental human right to get free soda!
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The point the OP is trying to make is that the government has no right to tell me how much I can drink if the restaurant is willing to offer. AND the restaurant should offer free refills when we are paying $2-2.50 per sitting and it costs them an avg of $0.06 per glass .... ok off my soapbox !