MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - Alabama lawmakers are discussing a bill that would stop people from suing restaurants because they ate there and became obese.
One of the bill's sponsors, Sen. Gerald Dial, says the law will protect the mom and pop restaurants as well as franchises from the fear of being sued.
No doubt about - Obesity is one of America's biggest healthcare problems – and Alabama is America's 2nd most obese state behind Mississippi.
Lawmakers have even suggested heavy taxes on fatty foods and sugary soda and requiring restaurants to label the calorie content of every menu item. These suggestions are not that dissimilar to the strategies implemented to discourage people from smoking: Banning smoking in the workplace, taxes on tobacco and warning labels on tobacco products.
The restaurants that sell us this food aren't evil. They are providing a product people want at a price they are willing to pay, purchased of their own free will.
Suing the restaurant that sold you the cheeseburger is crazy. The idea that we need to pass a law to make that illegal is even crazier.
If restaurants don't offer healthy alternatives – don't take them to court – just go eat somewhere else.
Some things you just have to take responsibility for yourself. Your health is at the top of that list.
Talk about your health with your doctor – not your lawyer.
Let's cut the fat out of our own diets and let the Legislature cut the fat out of the state budget.
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