The Sugar Tax

An article in the New England Journal of Medicine has given new support for the idea of taxing sugary drinks such as sodas and juices. In the face of a rising obesity epidemic, public health officials have singled out sugary foods and drinks as likely culprits. Some concerned parties have encouraged schools to replace sugary sodas in their vending machines with other more nutritious beverages.

Certainly increasing the price of a pack of cigarettes has helped to decrease smoking and has saved thousands, if not millions, of people who might have succumbed to smoking related illness. However, while a cigarette can not be considered vital to life, drinking fluids and taking in calories are important part of life and the general public may not understand the health consequences of drinking sodas and sugar juices as well as public health professionals.

That raising the price of sodas and juice will decrease consumption is not in question. The New England Journal Study estimates that raising the price of juice or soda by ten percent would decrease consumption from eight to ten percent. But who would this price hike really affect? I would guess that primarily indigent families, especially single mothers with a large number of children would be hit the hardest. However, the New England Journal of Medicine argues that the poor already are burdened by higher rates of obesity and that some public health programs could be targeted toward helping indigent families who have high rates of obesity.

Certainly public health programs targeting obesity could save millions of lives, but is taxing soda and juice the right way to pay for it? Obviously, CEOs of major soda corporations will vigorously lobby against any such tax on sodas. One even likened the proposed tax on soda to government planning in the failed Soviet Union.

However, the New England Journal articles makes several points why sodas and juices may be responsible for a disproportionate amount of obesity in America. Beyond the extra 175 calories a day that most sugary drinks add to the diet of children and adults, sugary drinks may make more healthy foods such as vegetables taste less palatable. And there is evidence that decreasing soda consumption can decrease obesity by a measurable amount. The New England Journal article also argues that sugary beverages are not essential to life and that water is a better choice. It is true that pediatricians are counseling parents on limiting the amount of juice that their child drinks.

While I think that the sugar tax is a good idea, and could help fund needed public health programs, I doubt that Congress will pass a "Soda Tax", as some members have voiced strong opposition and because the general public has for the most part ignored rising rates of obesity in America and because so many people drink sodas and juices. Perhaps if a Soda Tax can not be passed, soda manufacturers such as Coke and Pepsi could donate funds to public health programs targetting the current obesity epidemic.

If the debate over a possible Soda Tax becomes more public, I would assume that eventually the major soda manufacturers will host "Tea Parties" where by galloons of soda are dumped in harbors to protest what they believe are unfair taxes.

Sources:

Proposed Tax on Sugary Beverages Debated

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/business/17soda.html?bl

The Public Health and Economic Benefits of Taxing Sugar-Sweetened Beverages

http://www.nejm.org