Food trucks not so bad

food trucks, Issue 21, obesity, opinion, staff ed, Opinion - By Quaker Campus on Thursday, March 8, 2012 - 02:46

Recently California State Assemblymember William Monning proposed Assembly Bill 1678 to keep food trucks at least 1500 feet away from elementary and secondary schools. The bill is aimed at reducing childhood obesity by denying them access to food in trucks, while still allowing them to have access to food housed in brick and mortar stores.

One major criticism of the bill points out that a medical marijuana dispensary can be within 600 feet of a school. This really seems irrelevant, but apparently these critics think food should be more accessible than medical marijuana. Food truck laws are pointless and a pathetic attempt at combating obesity, but comparing those laws to laws about medical marijuana dispensaries is unnecessary.

Telling food trucks that they cannot come within 1500 feet of a school will do nothing to stop obesity and will only run the trucks out of business. Children will still find food, either at the school, brought from home or at the McDonald’s on the corner.

Using that wonderful logic: why not outlaw lemonade stands? People are probably getting pretty fat from that sugary homemade goodness.

Just let the trucks sell their food. Outlawing food in trucks is a ridiculous solution to obesity that will never garner any measurable results. Seriously, Monning, what were you thinking?