The Colorado Board of Education is holding a rulemaking hearing in Grand Junction, Colo., Aug. 10 to discuss changes to its policy on healthy beverages in schools. Specifically, the board will consider a change that would allow diet sodas to be sold in high schools.
Colorado currently sets more stringent healthy beverage standards than the federal government. There is a proposal to use the federal standards instead of state standards moving forward, which would allow diet sodas to be sold in high schools.
This policy change would affect all students statewide, so input from dentists statewide is welcome. The CDA hopes dentists in the Grand Junction area will attend the hearing in-person and offer feedback about the negative effects soda can have on oral health. The hearing is Aug. 10 at 1:30 p.m. at Colorado Mesa University, 1100 North Ave., UC Meeting Room 213, Grand Junction, CO 81501.
A broad coalition of wellness advocates is fighting the change that would allow diet sodas for high school students. The CDA has signed a joint letter with the group, indicating support for upholding the old, more stringent standards—given the detrimental effects diet soda can have on oral health, as well as whole health.