Q&A
Council Member Marmorato discusses kids' meal options and opposes needle exchange programs
1:12:14
·
147 sec
Council Member Kristy Marmorato engages in a Q&A session with DOHMH representatives, discussing the implementation of Intro 641 regarding kids' meal options in restaurants and expressing her opposition to needle exchange programs in her district. The DOHMH officials provide information on restaurant outreach plans and acknowledge the council member's concerns about drug use interventions.
- Marmorato inquires about plans to educate restaurants on new kids' meal options when Intro 641 passes
- DOHMH explains their typical approach of providing education and support to restaurants for new policies
- Marmorato strongly opposes needle exchange programs in her district, citing concerns about normalizing drug use
- DOHMH acknowledges her position while noting the public health benefits of such programs
Kristy Marmorato
1:12:14
Thank you, chair.
1:12:15
So as a mom of an 8 year old who has very limited food options, chicken fingers and, pasta with butter, and culturally, most of my restaurants in my district are Italian restaurants.
1:12:27
So those are really our only options.
1:12:30
I just wanna know when 641 passes, how are you gonna roll out information to like, what's gonna be the outreach to these restaurants?
1:12:37
Are you gonna send them, like, pamphlets or do some kind of, like, email outreach just to educate them on other options?
1:12:45
What is that kind of looking like?
Michelle Morse
1:12:47
Thank you for the question, council member.
1:12:48
I'll pass this one to my colleague, Liz Solomon.
Elizabeth Solomon
1:12:52
Thank you for the question.
1:12:54
We typically provide education for for restaurants in for when we first, post a post a rule.
1:13:08
There's typically about a year of education.
1:13:11
So for example, for the Sweet Truth Act, we have published a guidance that's on our website, and it does get, sent to all restaurants.
1:13:21
We are also available for any questions and support.
1:13:25
We really do wanna support the restaurants in complying with any, policies that that are enacted.
Kristy Marmorato
1:13:32
I'd like to help you guys out when when the time does come because I feel like it's very important and I don't want just limited options, especially in my district and my community.
1:13:42
I do wanna have a conversation now about this needle exchange program.
1:13:47
Are there any, programs in district 13 currently?
Michelle Morse
1:13:52
Thanks so much for the question.
1:13:54
We can follow-up with you.
1:13:55
I don't have a a answer at the moment, but we'd be happy to follow-up with you about that.
Kristy Marmorato
1:14:00
Okay.
1:14:00
Is there a way or a website to see if we can look that up ourselves?
Michelle Morse
1:14:05
We'd be happy to follow-up with you.
Kristy Marmorato
1:14:07
Just for the record, I don't condone needle syringe exchange programs in my district.
1:14:13
I feel like normalizing drug use.
1:14:15
I've had way too many people within my community whose lives and families were destroyed by drug use, and I just feel like a needle exchange program is only enabling the problem, and we do not welcome that in my district.
1:14:27
So
Michelle Morse
1:14:28
I acknowledge your position, council member.
1:14:31
It is a a very well studied public health intervention that saves lives.
1:14:35
But we do understand.
Kristy Marmorato
1:14:35
That's for
Michelle Morse
1:14:36
your concern.
Kristy Marmorato
1:14:36
Thank you for that.
1:14:37
But it's just a statement, and yeah.
1:14:40
So thank you.
