Recently in Massachusetts a ban on junk food sales in schools has been passed through the house and senate. The bill would ban the sale of sugary drinks and junk food in school vending machines and school stores. The ban would not effect the hot lunch meal in the cafeteria but instead the vending machines and school stores. The approved items include nonfat and low-fat dairy products, non-fried fruits and vegetables, whole grains and related products. Beverages without additives or carbonation, non-sweetened water and 100% fruit juices meet the standards it essentially bans the sale of soda, candy bars, fried chips, and even sports drinks, which health officials say can sometimes have more sugar than their carbonated others. The bill was approved in mid-march and is set to go into action in the fall.

What could this bill mean for DECA? This bill says that school stores like DECA would no longer be able to sell gatorade, soft drinks, bagels/doughnuts in the morning, lollipops and other sugary snacks. This would mean that the people who count on DECA for their breakfast would have to buy breakfast before they came to school. Get ready to feast on soy-based products and 100% fruit juices! This could also mean that DECA might have to be shut down since a lot of students at franklin high do not eat the foods that are approved for selling.

Steven Jacobson, when asked if DECA didn’t sell sugary drinks or food and instead sold soy-based products and 100% fruit juices, would he still buy there? he said “No way, I wouldn’t go”.