Authored July 20, 2008

Dear Utah legislators and school officials:

This petition by GreenSmoothieGirl.com readers is an urgent request for you to stop junk food vending in our public schools. According to a Sunday, front-page story in the Daily Herald, a recent study by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say Utah leads the nation in:

--vending of chocolate (83 percent in Utah compared to 40 percent nationwide)
--vending of fatty, salty snacks (76 percent in Utah compared to 47 percent nationwide)
--vending of soda and sugar drinks (86 percent in Utah compared to 65 percent nationwide).

This is shameful, as two-thirds of America is obese, and the epidemic starts in our children. Our economy will be crippled by obesity’s direct and indirect costs: heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, asthma, diabetes, dental problems, and countless other results of Utah’s school-endorsed promotion of processed, fattening foods. Former Surgeon General Richard Carmona suggested that obesity is a much more present danger than terrorism in terms of American lives, and its toll will be far greater than the Sept. 11 death count. Our children don’t vote, and people aren’t calculating the long-term cost with every bite of food in their mouth today, but our legislators and school officials must plan for the future and safeguard our children.

Please draft and support legislation that will put Utah back where it belongs: as a leader in the nation in health. Our children receive mixed signals if we teach in health class about fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and they walk out into a hallway where we are making money selling them Twinkies, Doritos, and Pepsi.

Please blog on www.GreenSmoothieGirl.com to let us know if you are advancing a piece of legislation to change Utah’s position in this CDC study or are interested in supporting an effort sponsored by Rep. Steve Sandstrom. We will be right behind you!

Sincerely,

Robyn Openshaw-Pay
www.GreenSmoothieGirl.com