Splenda strikes back!

My buddy Tom Schatz (who runs one of my favorite organizations in town, Citizens Against Government Waste), has a great column running on the Sugar-Splenda battles.

The sugar lobby is mighty upset that Splenda is taking a bite out of market share. So the sugar folks are suing McNeil Nutritionals, the makers of Splenda, for "false advertising." Splenda's claims are simply that the product is made from sugar so it tastes like sugar.

Ever taste Splenda? I'm a big fan. FWIW I think it tastes better than all the other sugar substitutes combined. And it can be used in recipes. Good stuff.

Well, apparently McNeil is fighting back by suing the Sugar Association for engaging in a "false and malicious smear campaign."

Tom's main point in the article, however, is that it is taxpayers who have footed the bill for their efforts to restrict the free market from that pesky competition thing. Restricting competition has resulted in Americans paying significantly higher prices for sugar and products that contain sugar.

Then in a stunning display of government waste, the government had to buy back "surplus sugar" on one recent year to the tune of $500 million. Unbelievable. Wonder what warehouse we're now footing the bill for to house all of that excess sugar.

Which reminds me, I'm actually out of Splenda. Need to go back to Costco to get the economy box size of Splenda packets.