An invoice on the way to the desk of governor Patrick Morrisey would ban food with certain artificial dyes in West Virginia, such as Red No. 40, which are located in Jell-O-Hot Dogs, Ketchup and Grain. (Leann Ray | West Virginia clock)
“This is probably the most important legislative template that we will vote on our entire career,” said Republican senator Laura Wakim Chapman a few weeks ago before the Senate passed a bill 31-2.
What was this critical legislation?
New regulations to ensure that all West Virginians have neat water?
A solution to finance West Virginia Public Employees Insurance Agency, which ensures that all public employees have affordable health care?
Perhaps more funds for public schools in which most children take part or maybe boost for their teachers?
No. It was a legislative template that banned some artificial dyes in the food.
House bill 2354 Was adopted both by the house and the Senate and is now going to test the governor’s desk.
The invoice also prohibits several food dyes from foods served in public schools such as Red No. 40 that are located in Jell-O, Muesli, Hot Dogs and Ketchup. Blue No. 1, found in peas in cans and packaged soups and green No. 3, an ingredient in canned goods and jell-o. This prohibition should be effective on August 1st.
While 11 other countries consider similar laws, West Virginia would be the First state In the United States to implement a comprehensive ban on food colors when governor Patrick Morrisey approves legislation.
I don’t know exactly how this bill will work – and our legislators are probably not. They regularly adopt invoices without thinking about how they are to be financed or implemented. For example, House bill 2515What the counties would require to Create alternative learning centers The Senate has developed for chronically disruptive students. However, the legislative template has no proposed funds that build or participate in the centers.
If the prohibition of the food coloring was passed by the congress, it would obviously be a nationwide ban and all food manufacturers would have to set the dyes in food that are sold in America.
But will the Wrigley Company only produce natural color cups for West Virginia? Is Mountain Dew Code Red prohibited within the state limits? Does the Bigley Piggly Wiggly have to stop using rainbow sugar effusion on your cake?
Some manufacturers of food and drinks have spoken. You cannot switch the radio on more than 19,000 US dollars for advertisements In the last week – speak against HB 2354.
Outside of the food available on our grocery shelves, the legislation is equipped with other grave potential effects that undermine the vow of the legislator to improve the economy in West Virginia.
According to Donnie Perdue, Vice President of the Teamsters Local 175 Union, the local Pepsi and Cocola plants could be exposed to layoffs if the invoice is passed.
“Both Pepsi and Coke said that the dye calculation would lead to a decline in its current inventory by 50%,” he said. “No economic analysis was carried out to see how the effects would affect if all these drinks and food from West Virginia are prohibited.
I am not against the fact that the dyes will be banned – the US Food and Drug Administration in January forbidden red no. 3 from food because it causes cancer in rats, and almost 35 years ago it was banned cosmetics for the same reason. Food manufacturers have time until January 2027 to stop with red. No. 3, and drug manufacturers have until January 2028. I do not understand logistically how this ban can function from other dyes if only one state has banned them.
Chapman explained that the law is critical because it will provide food for families healthier, citing the high obstacle rate of the state and a lack of grocery stores.
Some West Virginians have no local grocery stores and have to buy a general or dollar Tree for food at Dollar. People don’t necessarily want to buy an unhealthy food – buy what they can afford.
Will this calculation do something to reduce the food prices for healthier food or to boost the purchasing power of the residents in the grocery store? Well, no. On the contrary.
“This is a law that affects six out of ten grocery stores and makes them effectively illegal.” The alternative ingredients simply do not exist. “
Senator Jason Barrett, R-Berkeley, has argued that the food chain Aldi has banned synthetic colors in its products in the shop brand and that the business sells its own version of pop types without dyes and the product is cheaper than the Kellogg option.
Aldi is a great food chain – but there is only 16 locations in West Virginia. It also offers much fewer options – and brands – as a Kroger, Walmart or Piggly Wiggly.
This legislation is a way for legislators to make it look like it would take care of the health of West Virginians without taking into account the actual reasons for indigent health – poverty, nutritional uncertainty, food deserts and exorbitant health care.Until the legislators tackle these problems, West Virginia remains “remain”unhealthyState in the country.
