NYC Proposes Ban on Junk Food at Jail Commissaries

As part of an effort to improve nutrition at city institutions, New York City may soon ban junk food from the commissary snack bars of all jails. According to the NY Daily News, Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration hopes the ban will help curb obesity, which may have contributed to an 11 percent increase in inmates’ medical expenses over the past five years. Currently, the city’s jail commissaries sell a variety of calorie-laden foods, such as soda, potato chips, and candy—items that will be prohibited should the proposal go into effect. Due to these foods’ popularity, some jail officials worry the ban will aggravate inmates and incite more violence. “They are not going to be happy,” one jail supervisor tells the Daily News.