Mary Poppins may have had the best intentions in mind, but if "a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down," the new mantra is "no sodas today keeps the doctor away."

Address the business concerns head on. If minority businesses are unduly burdened by the soda ban's exemptions, level the playing field to include convenience stores, and it would not hurt to tighten up "milk-based."

I applaud Mayor Bloomberg's dedication and willingness to take a stand against opponents to the ban and all the name calling criticism he has received. At the same time, banning supersize soda alone misses the point.

Ironically, much of the commercial advertising during the Olympics featured leading contributors to the obesity epidemic: unhealthy food and sugary beverages.

The mayor of New York City is not banning the sale of soda. Nor is he telling consumers that they can't drink soda. Rather, he is calling attention to how much should be considered a reasonable amount to drink at a time.

Someday, you will be able to tell your grandchildren that in the olden days, you could go to a special store where you could buy 64 ounces of soda in one single container. Their eyes will bulge and their jaws will drop.