California to ban soda in high schools

California high schools will ban carbonated soda in legislation approved by the state assembly on Thursday as part of an effort to combat teen Obesity.

The bill allows milk, drinks with at least 50 percent fruit or vegetable juice and water without sweetener. The ban will be phased in starting in 2007 and take full effect in 2009.

The measure needs final approval in the state senate, which already voted in favor of it in May. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a former bodybuilding champion who preaches the need for a healthy diet, has said he would sign the measure.

The ban, already in effect in elementary schools, is expected to cost school districts hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost income.

At present, soda is sold through vending machines and cafeterias of most California high schools.

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