Friday, November 30, 2007

Salt

So, there's this:

FDA considers salt warning labels
FDA considers salt warning labels


Now, what annoys me about this is the very last sentence: "The question tonight is whether the government should be limiting your salt intake for you."

The idea that the government should have the right to tell me, directly or indirectly, how much salt I consume is anathema. I understand the science of it and the risks, but this just isn't one of those things the government should be concerned with. If I want to eat nothing but salt until I keel over and die, that's my problem.

I'm aware that there's a public health crisis in this country, that we're overweight and that we eat too much, and on and on and on. I'm aware that those things contribute to rising health care costs.

But, having taken the consumer out of the health care equation via what's effectively insurance company price fixing and customer insensitivity to prices, there's no reason to then replace that consumer with Big Brother, who tells me what I can and can't eat, in what quantities, and how often.