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At the start of each year, people resolve to become healthier, whether by losing weight, quitting smoking, or something similar. But with every year, there’s also a flurry of new laws that can help make the resolution for you.
Smokers in North Carolina, for example, aren’t welcome anymore in bars and restaurants, as the state joins California, New York and dozens of others that have banned smoking at such establishments. It’s a bold step forward in the fight against smoking, especially considering North Carolina’s history as a tobacco stronghold, and the fact that 21% of the adult population smoked in 2008.
Looking to deal with the now-bigger issue of obesity, California has a new law limiting trans fats to no more than half a gram per serving – otherwise, restaurants face a $1,000 fine. If it’s pursuing healthier meals, the Golden State might also take a page from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who announced last year a voluntary initiative to cut back on salt, and asked restaurants to reduce salt content by 50% over the course of 10 years.
Lastly, Texas has a timely new law that bans teens under 16 and a half years of age from using tanning beds, as well as requires parental permission up to age 18. In case your son or daughter was planning a new look for the new year – maybe one imitating the orange-colored guys and girls of Jersey Shore – it’s been pre-empted for a healthier lifestyle, in more ways than one.
Image by ebruli via Flickr Creative Commons