Is Taxing Soda The Answer?

Momentum is growing over the idea of taxing soda and other beverages containing sugar. Coming on the hills of an article in the latest issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Some leading health experts believe that taxing sugary beverages will help curb the obesity problem in America. According to experts the cost of treating obesity related health problems is fueling the escalating cost of health care. The article goes on to say how the revenues collected by this tax would be used to support government run health programs. This idea has been well received by the majority of physicians and medical experts

Proponents of the tax do not disagree that curbing the use of these products would be beneficial to the over all the health of Americans. They question the assumption that paying two to three cents more per container would be effective in lowering the consumption of these products. In addition they ask “why stop there” why not tax ice cream, cookies, candy. What about all the coffee and energy drinks in the aisle next to the sodas? Whole milk as opposed to non-fat. The list of unhealthy food and drink products available in today’s supermarkets is astronomical.

The bigger question on the table , becomes when is it okay for the government to use the tax system as a way to control human behavior. Promoters of this tax insist it is no different than the so called ‘sin’ tax on alcohol and cigarettes. So then should the sale of soda be regulated and sold to adults over the age of eighteen.

Currently this idea is being mostly propagated by the medical industry. Much more debate will be required to convince the average consumer that the government should levy food or beverage taxes based on there caloric value .

Most Americans understand that lifestyle change is the single most

effective way of improving ones health and critical in controlling health care cost. Education is key to getting out the message of obesity and its health ramifications. It then becomes the responsibility of the individual consumer to make healthy choices.