Toss Junk Food Ads From NYC Property, Brooklyn Prez Tells Mayor

BROOKLYN, NY — Brooklyn's top pol wants to lock up the Hamburglar. Borough President Eric Adams has asked Mayor Bill de Blasio to ban advertisements for junk food from New York City property now that he's given booze ads the boot.

In a May 16 letter, Adams praised the mayor for barring ads for alcohol from city property and said he should do the same for sugary, fatty foods that harm New Yorkers' health.

"If we will not allow a billboard of 'Joe Camel holding a cigarette' or 'The Most Interesting Man in the World' sipping a Dos Equis beer, then why should we allow the 'Hamburgler' or the 'Kool-Aid Man' to promote bacon cheeseburgers, sugar-sweetened drinks, or any other foods that we know contribute to unhealthy diets leading to chronic disease among young people and adults alike?" Adams wrote to de Blasio and Dr. Oxiris Barbot, the city health commissioner.

De Blasio, a Democrat, signed an executive order in April banning ads for alcohol from most city property such as newsstands, bus shelters and LinkNYC kiosks in an effort to reduce excessive drinking.

The order affects future and renewed contracts for advertising. Current agreements with companies that place advertising on city property don't expire until 2026 and 2027, City Hall has said, so firms won't be legally barred from posting alcohol ads until then.

Adams, also a Democrat, wants a similar ban placed on ads for junk foods, which he defines as eats that don't comply with the city's Food Standards. Those are health guidelines for foods that the city government purchases and serves. For example, all labeled items have to be trans-fat-free and all purchased beverages can have no more than 25 calories per eight ounces.

The city could apply those standards to foods advertised on its property and companies could showcase their healthier options, Adams argued. He noted that London recenly banned ads for junk food from its public transportation system.

"These advertising changes would help educate the public about healthier choices and show that, even in a busy world, healthy options are available at their neighborhood restaurant chain," Adams wrote in the letter, which the New York Daily News first reported on Tuesday.

De Blasio spokeswoman Marcy Miranda said City Hall will review Adams's idea.

"This Administration supports healthy eating habits, and has taken steps to increase access to healthy foods," Miranda said in a statement. "We look forward to reviewing the details of Borough President Adams’ proposal to determine before taking a position."