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California Bill Proposes Warning Labels on Soda

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Frozen soda can explosions are not due directly to water expanding as it freezes, but to the resulting pressure put on an isolated pocket of C02.
Frozen soda can explosions are not due directly to water expanding as it freezes, but to the resulting pressure put on an isolated pocket of C02. (Image credit: Image via Shutterstock)

A proposed law in California would require sodas and other sugar-sweetened beverages to carry a warning label describing the potential health risks of the beverages.

The label, proposed by democratic State Senator Bill Monning, would read: "STATE OF CALIFORNIA SAFETY WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay," according to the California Medical Association, which is backing the bill. The wording was developed by a panel of nutrition and health experts.

"As with tobacco and alcohol warnings, this legislation will give Californians essential information they need to make healthier choices," Monning said in a statement.

Drinking one soda a day increases an adult's risk of being overweight by 27 percent, and a child's risk by 55 percent, the Medical Association said.

The California branch of the American Beverage Association, CalBev, opposes the bill, saying that obesity is a complex issue, and that many soda products already have calorie counts on the front of the bottle, according to the Los Angeles Times.

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Rachael Rettner
Rachael Rettner
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Rachael is a Live Science contributor, and was a former channel editor and senior writer for Live Science between 2010 and 2022. She has a master's degree in journalism from New York University's Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program. She also holds a B.S. in molecular biology and an M.S. in biology from the University of California, San Diego. Her work has appeared in Scienceline, The Washington Post and Scientific American.