Taxes on Sugary Beverages? Only as Part of the Solution

There are arguments in favor and against this proposal, and both have some merit:

In favor - if sugary beverages cost more, people will drink less of them. With obesity being so common, this should be a good thing. Many people drink enormous amounts of sugared soda, and the calories add up. Taxes on other products have been shown to reduce consumption - even on addictive products like cigarettes.

Against - because it's a tax per beverage, it will affect poor people more dramatically than middle class or wealthy people. Over the past decade, the tax burden has already been shifted from the rich to the poor. In the opinion of many (including this writer) this is a mistake. Many people won't care about an extra few cents per can of soda.

In addition, if people shift from drinking sugared soda to diet soda, there may be unforeseen side effects. Research on diet soda indicates that it may not be as good as thought in reducing weight.

My proposal - Put in the tax on soda, but use it for an education campaign against all soda, and in favor of tap water. Ban advertising of sugared soda to children. Remove vending machines that serve soda from schools. This way, we will reduce the overall demand for sugared soda and diet soda, not just among the poor, but in all classes of society. This will not only help reduce the excess calories consumed, it will also help the environment by reducing the production and shipping of these products.

Advertising to children is pervasive and pernicious. Parents who go shopping with their children are subject to all sorts of wheedling and whining; and this can be hard to resist. In addition, young children lack the critical facilities to recognize the duplicitous nature of much advertising. It's not that advertisement tell explicit untruths - that would get them in trouble - but they use connotations of words in ways designed to make you want their product. Older children and adults recognize this - but even we are swayed. Young children are even more vulnerable.

Selling soda in school is just ludicrous. It's true that it's a money maker for the schools - but we should fund schools adequately so that this is not necessary. Not only does selling soda in schools undercut messages against soda consumption, but anyone who knows a lot of children knows that at least some children get a 'sugar rush' - and that's the last thing they or their teachers need when we are asking them to pay attention to what the teacher is saying.

Sources:

Artificial sweeteners increase weight gain - e.g. here
Advertising and children - e.g. here