http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/weekinreview/14bittman.html
Critics say the soft-drink industry is acting like the "Big Tobacco" industry did a generation ago: marketing heavily to kids and claiming its products aren't harmful. Sugar, like tobacco, is now shown to cause cancer, as well as contribute to diabetes, obesity, and other health problems. This article considers the White House's proposed ban of full-sugar sodas in schools and discusses the advisability of a penny-per-ounce soda tax. Such taxes have already passed in Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Arkansas, and Tennessee. Other states are not far behind. Just as revenue from cigarette taxes is used, in part, to fund anti-smoking efforts, funds from soda taxes might be used to fund anti-obesity campaigns. While representatives from the beverage industry acknowledge that obesity is a problem, they claim it cannot be managed by eliminating only one food from the diet. On the other side, advocates argue that a soda tax would reduce consumption through preventative measures.
Over the past thirty years, consumption of sugary beverages in the United States has more than doubled, paralleling the rise in obesity. Substantial health care costs arise from this trend: obesity-related illnesses cost Americans billions of dollars each year, paying the price through higher taxes. This sugar beverage tax would raise awareness about the importance of diet and the link to obesity, to reduce the intake of calories and sugary drinks, and to improve the health of Americans. I support this action across the U.S. to promote healthier dietary choices in the general public and improve the long-term health of our communities.
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