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A bill banning Skittles and other toxic foods has been approved by California State Assembly, which is now heading to the State Senate.
Assembly Bill 418, proposed by Democrat Jesse Gabriel, intends to ban Hot Tamales, Nerds, Starburst, Sour Patch Kids, Skittles, and other processed food items which contain harmful chemicals.
If the bill is approved by the State Senate, then it would be passed on to Governor Gavin Newsom for the final sign-off. However, the news has left netizens divided; while some have supported the ban saying that these candies indeed contain toxic chemicals, others expressed thier displeasure.
While others pointed out the irony in the fact that gender-assigning surgery is legal without parental consent in California, which conservatives deem harmful for young children, but the government apparently does not. On the other hand, they consider these candies to be toxic for children and will put a ban on them.
The news was shared on Twitter by several outlets. One user @NottaNuke used an LGBTQ+ implication and said that California's banning anything that is rainbow-colored is a bit of an exaggeration.
Netizens have mixed reactions to California's possible Skittles ban
These rainbow-colored fruit-flavored chewy candies are quite popular among children. A possible ban on these products was likely to cause a stir. However, the reactions have been mixed. A few people agreed that the dye used in Skittles is not good for health, so banning them is a good idea.
The recent wave of criticism of the queer community made some people assume that it might be because the candy is rainbow-colored and its iconic tagline says "Taste the Rainbow", which in today's socio-political background, can be an emblem of the LGBTQ+ community.
Toxic chemicals in Skittles can cause cancer
The bill, if passed, would be effective from 2025. It targets additives such as titanium dioxide, brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and red dye No. 3. These additives are not only present in candies, but also in a wide range of edible products including drinks, pizzas, and even medicines.
These chemicals are usually added to processed food to improve their flavor and appearance and extend their shelf life.
Although the Food and Drug Administration gave a permit for these substances to be used in the United States, they have all been outlawed in European countries due to safety concerns.
In the European Union, these chemicals have been linked to developmental issues in children, reproductive issues, and cancer. Jesse Gabriel, who proposed the bill, said in a statement:
"It's unacceptable that the U.S. is so far behind the rest of the world when it comes to banning these dangerous additives. We don't love our children any less than they do in Europe and it's not too much to ask food and beverage manufacturers to switch to the safer alternative ingredients that they already use in Europe and so many other nations around the globe."
Jesse’s office said that many major brands including Gatorade, Pepsi, Coke, Papa John’s Pizza, Panera, and Dunkin Donuts have voluntarily stopped using these toxic chemicals in their products.
