New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has proposed a ban on any soft drink bigger than 16 ounces. He wants the ban in place by 2013.
Bloomberg points to soaring obesity rates, which have been linked to spikes in heart disease and other health problems.
The mayor says that banning the super-sized sugary drinks is a way to push back against public health problems.
His opponents are already mocking his idea as the work of "Nanny Bloomberg."
But Bloomberg points to several other public health initiatives that passed in recent years, among them a public smoking ban and a law requiring restaurants to publicly display calorie counts on food items.
Both of those intiatives have taken root in other New York State communities; Monroe County has had a smoking ban in public places for most of the past decade, while restaurants now display calories of menu items.
Bloomberg says he's not concerned that some view his plan as government overreach.
