Assemblymember Points to Internet site as Useful Educational Tool and Resource for Kick the Can campaign; Opportunities for Community Action!

SACRAMENTO — After hearing the frustration of parents, teens, communities and health advocates throughout the state and across the nation about the runaway marketing of sugary drinks to youth, Assemblymember Das Williams (D-Santa Barbara) is urging Californians to learn more about these beverages and be mindful of what we put in our bodies.

In an effort to mobilize against the most prominent factor contributing to our nation’s obesity epidemic, Williams is supporting the national, Kick The Can campaign at www.kickthecan.info, the go-to source for those who want to learn the truth about sugary drinks and how to fight back against the beverage industry and the liquid sugar that they try to pump into our bodies.

“We really want folks to realize that it’s not just carbonated soda pop, but all these sugary drinks are giving us an abundance of something we don’t need and there is research that is directly contributing to higher incidents of obesity,” said Assemblymember Williams, a member of the Assembly Committee on Health. “Many youth – even adults – don’t know the harm of these drinks. We can educate and help our community make better, more healthful choices.

“Besides, water is a much better beverage option.”

In the coming weeks, Assemblymember Williams will be introducing a piece of legislation to ban sugary sports drinks from schools and help promote healthier choices for middle and high school students.

KickTheCan.info is a project of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy and serves as a home base for a national movement challenging the power of pop. Visitors can access a variety of information and advocacy tools and even participate in the movement by posting videos, photos and comments to describe their frustration with the ubiquity of sugary drinks, showcase over-the-top advertising and highlight local campaign successes to inspire others to change the beverage world in which we live.

The California Center for Public Health Advocacy is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that raises awareness about critical public health issues and mobilizes communities to promote the establishment of effective state and local health policies.

Website for Assemblymember Das Williams: http://assembly.ca.gov/Williams

Contact: James Joyce III, 805.483.9808