A cabal of fat-cat trial lawyers are poised to launch an onslaught of frivolous lawsuits to cash in on our diet. From restaurants and food producers, to doctors, schools, and even parents, no target is too big or small for these sharks who see dollar signs where the rest of us see dinner. Their strategy is clear: In order to woo a jury into dismissing any vestige of common sense, they have to shift the blame for America's allegedly burgeoning bellies away from a lack personal responsibility and onto those with the deepest pockets. They know they face an uphill battle, but they are in for the long haul. Eighty-nine percent of Americans believe that fast-food restaurants shouldn't have to pay for their customers' lack of self-control, according to a July 2003 Gallup poll. Another survey reported that 74 percent of Americans rate these lawsuits at the strongest possible level of disapproval. And a recent Harris poll found that 86 percent of adults hold parents responsible for their children's weight. But as lawsuit ringleader John Banzhaf put it: "We're going to sue them and sue them and sue them."
The Center for Consumer Freedom has produced award-winning advertisements that mock trial lawyers who want to sue the food out from under our teeth. To view these ads, click here. To view a timeline of event surrounding the obesity lawsuits, click here. To learn more about the facts behind the so-called "obesity epidemic," read "An Epidemic of Obesity Myths."