By GABRIEL TIU
New York State Senator Zellnor Myrie was dressed as a carrot earlier this morning in Brooklyn as he publicly introduced his new bill called the Predatory Marketing Prevention Act (PMPA). He spoke about the new bill and he let the puns run amok as he said, “This issue has plenty of ap-peel.”
The New York State Senate’s official website describes the bill’s purpose as “To protect children from unhealthy food companies targeting them with false or misleading advertisements, and to ensure these companies can be targeted by regulations.”
Myrie believes that getting this bill passed will protect kids from childhood obesity and other health problems prevalent in communities of color. He stated, “As we continue the fight against COVID-19, we also know that obesity is associated with impaired immune function, decreased lung capacity, and increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, potentially tripling the risk of hospitalization due to a COVID-19 infection.”
Oftentimes, food corporations market their food to attract children whose parents are not mindful of health issues like excessive intake of fats. Angelica Borja, a Queens mother of two, spoke to Brooklyn News Service this afternoon in favor of this bill. “It’s about time we hold these corporations accountable. We have let this go on for too long,” she stated. “There are too many misleading or false advertisements of food products going around without any consequences. Hopefully, this bill will not only prevent it but also move the needle for children towards healthy food,” she added.
The current bill status of the Predatory Marketing Prevention Act (PMPA) is ‘In Committee.”