Dear Editor,
You recall that our legislators spent an entire day of the legislative session discussing Jell-O, being entertained by Jell-O promoter Bill Cosby and voting Jell-O as our official state snack food.
I was troubled by legislators spending their time in this manner.
First of all, I question their adoption of a brand-name product. This would be analogous to our adopting DelMonte peaches as the state fruit vs., simply, “peaches.”
Most interestingly, however, and far more troubling, is a fact that I recently came upon: Jell-O is distributed by Kraft, which is owned by the Philip Morris Tobacco Company.
Would our legislators have voted for Jell-O had they known this? Did they know this?
Not only have we adopted a brand-name product laden with sugar, food coloring and discarded animal parts, but with every box that is purchased we are supporting the Philip Morris Tobacco Company.
Perhaps the legislators need to spend another entire day repealing this bill and discussing whether or not they want to openly endorse a product that supports the biggest tobacco company in the country.
Now this would be time well spent.
Linda Bettinger
North Logan, Utah
