Free Talk Live

Los Angeles parks and libraries could soon be soda-free. - When Councilman Mitch Englander discovered that his daughter was unable to buy anything but sugar-packed sodas in a city park vending machine, he introduced a motion to ban them. Englander pitched his proposed soda ban at parks and libraries to the city's Arts, Parks, Health & Aging Committee on Tuesday, CBS reports. The council member, who serves as president of the local chapter of the American Diabetes Association, talked about how sugary sodas increase rates of childhood obesity and diabetes. He demonstrated that a 20-ounce soda bottle contains about 22 packets of sugar, Encino Patch reports.