MA Residents: Urge Your Representative to Support a Trans Fat Phase-Out in Restaurants

As a resident of Massachusetts, please send a message to your state representatives in support of Representative Koutoujian’s bill, HB 4346, that would phase out trans fat from restaurants and protect Massachusetts citizens from heart disease and premature death.

Your letter could help make Massachusetts the first state in the country to phase out trans fat in restaurants!

Subject:

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

(Edit Letter Below)

I am a resident of your district and strongly support Representative Koutoujian's bill, HB 4346, that would phase out artificial trans fat in Massachusetts restaurants and other food-service facilities. I urge you to support this bill.

Trans fat increases blood cholesterol and the risk of heart disease, the number-one cause of death for Americans. Harvard researchers recently estimated that each year trans fat has been causing 72,000 to 228,000 heart attacks, including roughly 50,000 fatal ones. For every year that Massachusetts waits to ban trans fat from restaurants, hundreds or thousands of residents will suffer fatal and non-fatal heart attacks. Those illnesses and deaths are unnecessary, and many could be prevented by passage of HB 4346.

Since January 2006, almost all packaged foods have been required to list the trans fat content on their Nutrition Facts labels. However, restaurants are exempt from such disclosure. Yet, Massachusetts residents are getting about one-third of their calories from restaurants and cafeterias, and many such foods contain high levels of trans fat.  For instance, a KFC Chicken Pot Pie contains 14 grams of trans fat-7 times the daily maximum intake!

Boston and Brookline have already passed trans fat phase-outs in restaurants.  Residents of those areas can now rest assured that the food they are eating in restaurants is a bit healthier. Shouldn't all of Massachusetts' residents be entitled to that healthier food?

According to the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), supplies of alternative, healthier oils have vastly increased over the last several years, and industry has the capability of meeting the needs as the demand increases.

HB 4346 is an important way to protect Massachusetts citizens from heart disease and premature death.  Please let me know if you will support this bill.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

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