Your Favorite Soda, Juice or Energy Drink Could Soon Come with a New Warning Label

Next time you stop at your favorite convenience store for one of those giant 'Penny-Per-Ounce' sodas or your favorite energy drink, keep in mind that soon those beverages could come with a warning label.

In what could be the first time to ever happen in the United States, the city of San Francisco, California recently approved putting health warnings on advertisements for sugary sodas and other beverages. The warnings would tell consumers that by drinking the higher calorie drinks, they could increase their risk of acquiring diabetes, face problems with obesity or face other health problems.

If San Francisco's ordinance gets the final approval, the health warnings will start making their appearance on city billboards and walls and on advertising located on the sides of city buses and taxis. The health warnings would not make an appearance in newspaper ads, flyers, broadcast media or on the internet.

The beverages being targeted are those drinks that contain more than 25 calories (from the added sugars and sweeteners) per 12 drinking ounces.

Not only are drinks such as Coca Cola and Pepsi being looked at for the impending health warning labels, but sports and energy drinks, certain vitamin waters, iced tea and other fruit juices that have more than 25 calories.