The American government should have no control over what we eat. By setting laws and regulations, they The American government should have no control over what we eat. By setting laws and regulations, they are going out of their way to try and make a point that won’t actually do anything. I should have the right to put whatever I want in my body and my government should have no control over what we put in our own bodies, which is why I agree with John Stossel and his film, “Myths, Lies, and Complete Stupidity.”

In Stossel’s film, he mentioned that New York banned sixteen ounce drinks to help the city overcome obesity. But when this law was set, people simply bought more of the smaller portions, which proves people will always find a way around the laws. This law won’t help diminish obesity because of the substitutes available. When the sixteen ounce drink was banned, it seemed that the customers just bought more of the smaller drinks. So in the long run, the customers ended up with even more unhealthy soda. The only thing the law really accomplished was frustrating customers who don’t deserve to have limits set on them.

In the middle of the video, Stossel did an experiment by having a well know baker provide free samples of regular donut filled with sugar and calories, and a healthier form of donuts as well. Citizens who took part in this survey seemed to enjoy the typical donuts more although some people did enjoy the healthy donuts. This proves that customers enjoy the choice. When you only have one option, it could result in half of the customers taking their money somewhere else.

This also demonstrates the effect limiting food could have on businesses. When customers can’t order the food they want due to government restrictions, the government and that business are losing money because the customers aren’t interested in any available options. This hurts the economy because of rules that they made themselves. One would think that the government would worry more about the economy, which is something they can control, and less about people’s health which is much harder, in fact, almost impossible for them to control. However, with the government trying to make these laws about food, it doesn’t appear that they are doing their job correctly, and when they are they’re taking money away from businesses rather than helping them.

The government is so worried about the health of citizens, and it appears they have zero faith in people being healthy by themselves. It needs to be recognized that health is something that consumers need to manage on their own. The government cannot control weather someone has the ambition to work out. And when the government denies customers the option to buy a large soda, it won’t make the customers skinnier at all. John Stossel’s film, “Myths, Lies, and Complete Stupidity” did a great job of explaining that. I feel as though with the rights I have as an American citizen, I should have the choice to eat whatever I want, whenever I want.