Trans Fats Ban

CNBC's Larry Kudlow cited ACSH's Dr. Elizabeth Whelan in a September 29, 2006 broadcast -- featuring Stephen Joseph of BanTransFats.com -- about New York's talk of banning trans fats:

Mr. JOSEPH: It's an invisible killer, Larry. It's an invisible killer.

KUDLOW: All right, you made your point. Let me ask you. Elizabeth Whelan, Dr. Elizabeth Whelan, writing in the paper yesterday, says, "Claims about the health risks of trans fats are grossly exaggerated with recommendations to avoid them having as little scientific basis as saying all of us should purge every grain of salt from our diets." Cigarettes are worse, high blood pressure is worse, diabetes [is] worse, and obesity [is] worse. In other words, why not just rule out everything? Is that -- are you a central planner? Let me ask you that.

Mr. JOSEPH: No, I'm not a central planner. I believe in freedom of choice.

KUDLOW: How much...do you want to regulate?

Mr. JOSEPH: I believe in freedom of choice, but you can't make a choice when...an ingredient is not labeled. In restaurants this stuff is not labeled and you don't know it's there.