Is Junk Food the Next Tobacco? Using the Law to Take on Big Food by Michele Simon, JD, MPH.

(From AScribe)

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Several well-known lawyers who led the charge against the tobacco industry will soon hold their first Conference on Legal Approaches to the Obesity Epidemic. With recent reports showing that the medical costs associated with obesity are fast approaching those of tobacco, the media are now paying more attention to an idea they might have laughed at just a few years ago. While lawsuits grab headlines, other legal tactics might have even greater potential to reign in Big Food. And yet public health advocates should be cautious about unintended consequences of proposed regulations. The food industry's greatest vulnerability is how it targets children. Ultimately, a sound legal strategy should emphasize carefully planned state and local policy reform, with a …