As a doctor, it used to be that I treated only adults with chronic diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. But now, I treat teenagers as young as 13 with these conditions. These kids grow up to be adults who will suffer and die from heart disease, the number one killer of men and women in our City. In Baltimore, one-in-three high school children are obese. It’s no coincidence that one-in-four school-aged children drink one or more soda per day. Public health leaders and doctors agree: sugary drinks are a major contributor to childhood obesity. Taking these empty calories out of children’s diets is the single biggest change parents can make.

Two years ago, I fought to protect our residents by supporting legislation in the Baltimore City Council that places warning labels on all sugary drink advertisements, restaurant menus, and stores that sell these drinks. The warning label included important facts about the dangers of sugary drinks and would have leveled the information playing field for consumers. Yet, despite the support of over 2,000 pediatricians, public health leaders, and advocates, the bill failed.

On Monday, the Baltimore City Council showed how they are a progressive, “public health Council” by voting 15-0 on a common-sense bill that makes healthy beverages, including water, milk, and 100 percent fruit juice, the default drink option for kid’s meals sold in Baltimore City. Currently, many restaurants include soda and fruit drinks as part of the kid’s meals, and parents must pay extra for the healthy alternatives. Switching the default option is a simple step that makes the healthy choice the easy choice. I am so proud of our elected leaders for voting on the right side of history. (The Council also passed legislation that we supported to prohibit the use of Styrofoam containers for carryout food and drink.) This is about our children’s health, and the future of our communities and our planet.

I discussed how public policy affects public health on Midday with Tom Hal this week. Tom and I discussed efforts in Annapolis to protect the Affordable Care Act and to lower the price of prescription drugs. (The Health Department team has been busy this week: see below for our various testimonies in front of the State House and Senate on lead poisoning prevention, tobacco regulation, children’s health and wellness, and more.) I also discussed harmful, unscientific policies being proposed. This week, I wrote an op-ed in the Baltimore Sun to oppose a chilling bill that would further criminalize the disease of addition. At a time of a public health epidemic, we must do everything we can to save lives. We must use science to fight stigma. And we must treat everyone with compassion, dignity and humanity.

Leana Wen, M.D., M.Sc.

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