There are several arguments for why sugar-sweetened beverages should be taxed; they come from both medical and sociological points of view, but they are all interrelated.
One argument for taxing sugar-sweetened drinks is the fact that it will help curb obesity. Obesity is an epidemic that Americans are in the middle of fighting. Not only can it lead to severe health problems, but it is also a significant burden on the health care system. A tax on sugar-sweetened beverages would help curb consumption, Because these beverages have been proven to be one of the common factors in someone being overweight or obese, and because they account for a third of an average person’s daily intake of added sugars, sugar-sweetened beverages make a logical place to start.
Many have argued that the tax unfairly targets the poor or low income, and in someways it does. However, this is not a reason to stop the implementation of the tax, rather, it’s a reason to implement it.
If the majority of the tax burden is place upon the consumers, these segments of the population will most likely be unable to consume sugar-sweetened beverages as often as they would normally. Therefore, they will have to switch to other alternatives, water being one of them. While it may seem unfair, several studies have linked poverty and low family income to obesity, and so despite the fact that this tax might unfairly burden the poor, the overall effects of it would be beneficial in the long run, since it would affect the largest section of the population that is at risk the most.
There is the argument that this would be a form of government interfering in private matters; people should consume what they want to consume. However, when you consider that a tax is not a ban, but rather a price increase, it should be viewed as a warning, not government dictating what to eat and what not to. It should be viewed as an attempt to curb a habit that has permeated our culture, just like smoking and drinking.
Another argument to tax sugar-sweetened drinks is the fact that added sugar, when consumed in excess, can lead to several debilitating health problems, some of which mirror the affects of alcoholism.
Added sugar, according to some experts, should be regulated like alcohol or tobacco. Excessive consumption has been proven to be toxic, and the fact that 33 percent of the average added sugar intake comes from these drinks, but the fact that they are only 4.5% of daily consumption, makes them a great starting point. Because it would be ludicrous to attempt to attach age requirements on to these drinks, a tax is the next best solution. While it might raise prices, it would also help raise awareness and curb consumption.
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Taxing sugar-sweetened beverages is a great starting point for raising awareness about being overweight and obese. Not only would it directly affect the population that’s most affected by it, but it would also help change society’s view on it. While it’s, for the most part, seen as a personal problem, once society realizes it’s bigger than that, something may start to change.