Self-regulation of junk products in Mexico does not work, “especially if there is no real will for it to happen,” said Hugo López-Gatell Ramírez, Undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion. This after the Chamber of Deputies of Oaxaca approved an initiative to reform the Law on the Rights of Girls, Boys and Adolescents, which prohibits them from purchasing foods and beverages high in fats, sugars and salts. “Self-regulation refers to the idea of placing trust in different agents of society, particularly those who produce and market these products that are unfavorable to health and they themselves have said that this is the model to follow,” he explained. In response to a question expressed by Expok during the health conference this Wednesday, August 5, he recalled that in Mexico since the last six-year term, the food industry stated that there was no need for regulation for the sale of “potatoes and soft drinks”, which they were capable of self-regulate and “wanted to be part of the solution and not the problem”; however this never happened.
On the contrary, there were situations that encouraged the opposite, he indicated, such as the food industry's sponsorship of remodeling in primary schools, "the basketball court or the soccer field painted with a huge advertisement, I don't know, red." with white letters. He added that this achievement is quite a challenge, since one thing is to approve legislation and the other is to ensure that it is fulfilled, so he urged citizens to help achieve it and, likewise, reduce the incidence America Cell Phone Number List of obesity in this sector. of the population. “There is no better watchdog than citizens. If citizens are aware of the damage that these types of products can cause to health and how vulnerable girls, boys and adolescents are, there will surely be greater attention to compliance,” she urged. The initiative approved by 31 votes proposes that guardians be aware of children's consumption of soft drinks and junk food. Consumption by minors will not be prohibited, but rather they can purchase the products on their own. Attack against small businesses: ANPEC For its part, the National Alliance of Small Merchants (ANPEC) assured that the ban on the sale of “high demand” products could cause the closure of businesses, unemployment and greater poverty in Oaxaca. “From here on, Oaxaca makes history because it has become the only place on the planet that, arguing to defend and guarantee a right to a vulnerable sector of the population, does so by legislating a prohibition,” declared Cuauhtémoc Rivera, president of ANPEC.
The industry appeals that this law is “stillborn” and will not be positive because they doubt that anyone in real life will pay attention to it, they consider it “obtuse” and reiterate that it could affect industries such as tourism, restaurants, chocolates, soft drinks, etc. Through a statement, they described the scenario behind this decree as “dangerous” and regrettable; “These 31 horsemen of the apocalypse who believe they represent their people, with the approval of this decree, have turned their backs on it, betraying their trust by putting their personal and group political agenda before the interests of society.” They highlighted that this is not the first time that authorities have hindered the industry since in 2013 a ban was decreed on the sale of these same products in public and private schools of all levels. “Let us ask ourselves: was this decree followed? Of course not! The same thing will happen with this legislative robbery, which will only serve to further impoverish Oaxacans and encourage corruption,” Rivera said.