Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act

The Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act, also known as the Cheeseburger Bill, was passed by the U.S. House of Representativesin March2004, but did not receive a Senatevote.

The bill was reintroduced in 2005by FloridaRepublicanCongressman Ric Keller, who is himself overweight. On October 19, it once again passed the House with a 306-120 vote [1](Keller actually missed the vote due to being rushed to the hospital). The bill will now be sent to the Senate.

The Act aims to protect producers and retailers of foods—such as McDonalds Corporation—from an increasing number of suits and class actionsuits by obeseconsumers. To date these suits have been turned down by the courts, sometimes in strong terms.

Using precedent and expertise from suits brought in the 1990sagainst tobacco corporations, lawyers such as John Banzhafhope to use the courts to pressure the food industry into providing more prominent health advisory information about its products. Banzhaf, founder of Action on Smoking and Healthor ASH, argues that the joint liability established between tobacco companies and smokers will soon be recognized as being similarly applicable in the case of food retailers and their customers. He anticipates that more health warnings would change consumer behavior, contributing to a solution to the 'obesity epidemic'.

Many state legislatures are considering or have passed their own versions of the bill.

External links

• News about the bill from food industry boosters, Centre for Consumer Freedom
• John F. Banzhaf III's obesity activism homepage
• BBC News Online: US approves 'Cheeseburger bill'de:Cheeseburger Bill

ja:チーズバーガー法

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It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal+Responsibility+in+Food+Consumption+Act Wikipedia article Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act.