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An Italian politician has proposed a new law that would mean the parents of vegan kids could face up to six years in jail.
Elvira Savino, deputy leader of the Forza Italia party, has suggested that parents who impose restricted diets on children under the age of 16 should be prosecuted for reckless endangerment and for compromising the development of their children.
Radicalised
Savino has described parents who impose restricted as “radicalised” and believes vegan kids do not get enough essential vitamins and minerals and are often malnourished. Veganism is a hotly debated topic in Italy, with 8% of the population either vegan or vegetarian.
Under the “Savino Law” parents would receive up to a one year sentence for the basic offence, two and a half years if a child is permanently affected or up to six years should a child die as a result of a vegan diet being imposed. However, as The Guardian reports, the Italian Society of Food Science has argued that high fat and sugar diets are of far more concern currently.
High Profile
The news follows a number of high profile cases in Italy involving vegan children, according to theThe Telegraph. Only last month a boy of 14 months was admitted to hospital in Milan weighing as little as a three–month–old, while in June a two–year–old girl in Genoa was taken to a resuscitation unit with a severe vitamin B12 deficiency.
What do you think? Should parents be prosecuted for imposing a vegan diet on their children or is it their right as parents to decide what their offspring eat and drink? Let us know in the comments below or over on our Facebook page.
