Hospitals are bleak enough already. Banning sugary drinks is just cruel | Ella Risberger

Of course sugar is bad, but this ruling will make no difference, and people at a low ebb need a ray of light, not a side salad

In an attempt to solve the “obesity crisis”, it appears that the NHS is considering a total ban on the sale of sugary drinks in its hospitals.

A voluntary NHS England scheme to reduce the sale of sugary soft drinks, milkshakes and hot drinks with added sugar syrups to failed to take off, and so the idea for a ban to come into effect from 1 July (alongside the new tax on sugary drinks which comes into effect this Friday), is obviously sensible. It’s logical. It’s scientific. We all know, after all, that we should probably all have less sugar, less fat, less caffeine.

This ban could only have been proposed by people who don’t know what it’s like to spend a great deal of time in hospital

Related: The NHS is underfunded. Even a former Tory health secretary sees it | Gaby Hinsliff

Continue reading... April 06, 2018 at 02:30PM