Why Banning Drinking Straws Upsets Muscular Dystrophy Patients
Is plastic really that necessary? The answer is yes!
It is important for people who are not a part of the disabled community to understand that not having plastic straws available does not just present an inconvenience for patrons who need them. This ban on straws could mean many disabled patrons struggling to put their glass to their mouth, which can result in choking or liquid accidentally getting in their lungs.
Emily Landau, a writer and activist who specializes in disability issues, lives with Larsen syndrome, which is a disorder that alters how the human bones develop. This disease mainly affects Landau’s lower body, so she does not have to rely on straws like Daniel Gilbert does. However, she does opt to use them because while they are not absolutely necessary, it makes her life easier as it's so difficult to smoothly operate a wheelchair and drink (without spilling!) simultaneously.
