Cleveland Sues Ohio to Ban Trans Fat

The city wants to institute a ban on prepared foods with trans fat, but a state law prohibits the city from doing so.

January 06, 2012

CLEVELAND - The war against trans fat has another battle to fight, this time in Cleveland. This week, the city filed suit against the state of Ohio because Cleveland wants to ban trans fat from prepared foods, the Associated Press reports.

The lawsuit, filed in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, wants to overturn a state law that prohibits the city from enacting such a ban on its own. Mayor Frank Jackson claimed the law was unconstitutional because it removes Cleveland??s right to home rule.

Last year, Cleveland passed an ordinance that forbids restaurant meals, bakery and grocery takeout products to contain trans fat. "Trans fats are not essential to our health and in fact do not promote health," said Councilman Joe Cimperman, chair of the Public Health Committee.

The Ohio Restaurant Association prefers the state legislation because of the consistency offered by a statewide rule. "The Ohio Restaurant Association believes that the new law enacted as part of the budget will help restaurants expand and, most importantly, create more jobs," said Jarrod Clabaugh, communications director.

Five years ago, the federal government began making packaged food manufacturers add trans fat to nutritional labels.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement