You know those monstrous 32-oz. soda buckets they sell in movie theatres? Their days are numbered in New York City.

An article in the New York Times outlines Mayor Bloomberg’s plan to help tackle the problem of obesity in his city. Any cup, bottle or other container larger than 16-oz. containing a sugary drink will not be served. The ban doesn’t apply to grocery stores, nor does it apply to diet drinks, alcohol, fruit juices or dairy drinks like milkshakes. Which pretty much leaves soda and energy drinks.

The lobbying group for the soda industry is up in arms over being singled out in the proposal, which should pass since the only governing body that has to approve it is the city’s department of health, and Bloomberg appointed all of its members.

Here’s what I don’t understand. Is he saying that diet soda and alcohol, since they are not being banned, are good for your health? Or that fruit juice and milk shakes don’t make you fat? Restricting the size of the serving container means that if I want more soda, I will have to buy another one to quench my thirst. Don’t get me wrong. I think those humungous cups of soda are ridiculous. But I doubt they are responsible for what’s considered the epidemic in obesity.

Why does this matter elsewhere in the country? Well, many of the models adopted in New York City have been used in other cities and states. So you might find this ban…coming to a theatre near you.