It is known as Sin Tax. It is taxation on non-essential 'vices' like alcohol and cigarettes (the tax on cigarettes is very high) with the proceeds going to the government for various projects.
The Governor of New York is proposing a tax on sugary (non-diet)soft drinks and juices that contain less than 70% juice, in order to both gain revenue for the state, and decrease the epidemic of childhood obesity in New York, where one in four children is obese.
The Governor likens what sugar is today, to what tobacco was to a previous generation when almost everyone smoked and paid for it with their lives through cancer, strokes, emphysema and the many other diseases and conditions that cigarettes cause.
Obesity, and it's related problems, is now taking over from tobacco, in terms of avoidable conditions and deaths associated with it. Sugar is our children's tobacco. And if the high taxation of cigarettes dissuaded people from smoking, perhaps a high taxation (the suggested amount is 18%) will to the same for children and their consumption of soda pop.
Experts at Harvard believe that each additional soda pop that a child drinks per day will increase her odds of obesity by 60%.
The state of New York currently spends over $6 billion every year, treating obesity cases in adults alone; one of the highest dollar amounts in the nation to be spent on one health issue alone.
In addition to an obesity tax, the Governor wants to increase awareness and education of this issue, remove junk food and fast food from schools and allow better access to healthy foods in poor communities, where obesity rares are often highest.
Tell Us
Would you like to see these kinds of taxes nationwide? Do you think they will do for childhood obesity what cigarettes taxation claimed to do to reduce smoking? Will our children be healthier as a result of a tax like this?
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I think in the economy that we live in, there is always a need to save money. If higher taxes are placed on soda drinks, there may be a reduction in the consumer purchase. On the other hand, there are several, black and white, soft drinks that remain well below the price of Pepsi or Coke, the name brands.
I think raising prices on any product reduces the consumption of the product. Convenience is the key. Fast food restaurants will still have the soda option for the value meals and I think that is the main problem with obesity. Fast food is way too convenient. We live in a fast paced world that convenience is key.
How can we stop the fast paced world? We need to manage our times better to be certain that ourselves as well as our children are consuming healthier foods.
December 20, 2008 - 10:51amThis Comment