State Moves to Ban Trans Fats

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Apr 14, 2011 9:15PM

The Illinois House approved legislation yesterday to ban trans fats from restaurants and school cafeterias throughout the state. Under the terms of the legislation, trans fats would be banned in restaurants, movie theaters, and school vending machines in 2013, with school cafeterias following suit three years later. If the Senate approves and Gov. Quinn signs the bill into law, Illinois would become the second state in the Union to ban trans fats, after California.

Health advocates and politicians acknowledged that the overall costs of health care for Illinoisans related to trans fats outweighed personal choice in approving the legislation. Rep. La Shawn Ford, one of the bills sponsors, told the Tribune, "Health problems cost our state so much money, and if we can use prevention to keep people out of emergency rooms and keep them healthy, this is a step in that direction."