'If you want 32 ounces, take two cups,' Bloomberg said of the rule. | M.Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO Bloomberg: Not taking away rights

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Wednesday defended his effort to ban large sugary drinks, arguing it “doesn’t take away anybody’s rights.”

“The portion control size, just using the cup, doesn’t take away anybody’s rights,” Bloomberg said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe. “If you want 32 ounces, take two cups. If you want 64, take four. It’s just there to remind you: ‘This is not good for your health.’ And then let people do what they want to do. We’re not trying to ban anything. We’re simply educating and we do that with a lot of things.”


A judge struck down the law on Monday, arguing it was “arbitrary and capricious.” Bloomberg has said the city plans to appeal the ruling, and called the judge “100 percent wrong” on Wednesday.

( Also on POLITICO: Palin pops a cork over soda ruling)

The law would’ve limited the size of sugary drinks to 16 ounces at restaurants, theaters and food carts, but had numerous loopholes. Bloomberg believed it would help combat the country’s obesity epidemic, and said he hoped cities around the world would follow his lead.