The government wants to protect you from candy
California lawmakers have your best interest at heart, whether you like it or not — even when it comes to your health. A bill being considered by the California State Assembly would ban the sale of Dubble Bubble Twist gum, Hot Tamales and Skittles candy, among other food items.
Why is this an issue? According to the bill, the items contain potentially dangerous and toxic chemicals, according to a news report. Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel, D-Woodland Hills, introduced AB 418, which proposes that the state stop allowing the distribution, manufacture and sale of food that contain proply paraben, Red Dye No. 3, brominated vegetable oil, titanium dioxide and potassium bromate. The chemicals have been linked to an increased risk of cancer, behavioral issues in children, damage to the immune system and other health problems, according to a news release from Gabriel’s office.
Experts say that titanium dioxide can be found in cupcakes, ice cream and trail mix and propylparaben can be found in caramel chocolate; however, though many Californians won’t recognize the chemicals by name, they are probably consuming them on a regular basis.
“Californians shouldn’t have to worry that the food they buy in their neighborhood grocery store might be full of dangerous additives or toxic chemicals,” Gabriel said in a statement. “This will correct for a concerning lack of federal oversight and help protect our kids, public health and the safety of our food supply.”
Gabriel claims that many of the chemicals that would be banned have never been independently reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration or re-evaluated for decades.
“Instead, these chemicals have entered the nation’s food supply through a loophole in federal law — known as GRAS, or ‘generally recognized as safe’ — that was intended to apply to common household ingredients like vinegar,” a news release said. “As a result of this loophole, chemical companies have added new substances to the food supply with almost no meaningful federal oversight.”
A California man filed a lawsuit in July 2022, claiming that Skittles are “unfit for human consumption,” according to a news report. The maker of Skittles, Mars Inc., admitted to using “small amounts” of titanium dioxide, but claimed it complied with FDA regulations and it did not harm the man.
It would seem that individuals who are concerned about consuming toxic or potentially dangerous ingredients probably already refrain from eating things that could have questionable ingredients.
Must there be a law on the books to save us all from making bad decisions? Apparently so.