No, that’s not some obscure reference to the Revolutionary War. It’s a real proposal by the AMA. If this organization of doctors had its way, salt and the products that are made with it will come with a warning label, and sugary products will have an added tax. At the national convention this past June, the American Medical Association announced a manifesto against salt and sugar, two products that physicians have said contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity. The AMA wants salt removed from the federal dietary guidelines as a safe food, equating it with saccharin and the cancer scare decades ago. These physicians also want restaurants to be regulated and monitored for the amount of salt added to foods during preparation.

True, Americans do consume too much salt and sugar, but to regulate these natural food additives as the government regulates tobacco and alcohol seems like overkill. Will that really keep Americans from reaching for the salt cellar at home, instead of the Mrs. Dash or stocking their fridges with soft drinks?