Is sugar another sin?
Liquor tax, tobacco tax, gas tax — could sugar tax be next? Some senators are throwing around the idea of slapping a tax onto sugary soft drinks, hence the moniker “sugar tax.”
Although the Wall Street Journal, Reuters and other media outlets are raising a bit of alarm over the subject, it’ll be quite a while before any such legislation is anywhere near implementation, if it ever materializes at all.
Beyond soda
Reuters explains that some Senate leaders today will hear testimony today from the Center for Science in the Public Interest. But the center thinks more than just soda should be taxed. From Reuters:
One idea is to levy the tax on all sugary beverages, which would include the ones that the industry has successfully camouflaged as health drinks: energy drinks and ”sports” beverages—like Pepsico’s Gatorade and Coca-Cola’s Powerade Coke’s VitaminWater, Kraft’s Capri Sun “juice drink,” and the like.
I have a friend who’d need instant payday loans to support her VitaminWater habit if they start taxing it. But I digress.
Why pick on Gatorade?
Popularity of energy drinks is growing as carbonated soda drinks are becoming less popular. Because Gatorade, VitaminWater and its cousins have roughly the same amount of sugar as sodas, lobbying for the same tax on these beverages makes sense.
No doubt the lobbyist will want to include the hip, hyper-caffeinated drinks such as Rock Star, Monster and Red Bull.
A skeptical tone
Dan Mitchell, of The Big Money, doesn’t seem to think that today’s hearing is likely to lead anywhere.
Actual consideration may or may not come later. Actual enactment is even iffier: Just look at what happened when the state of New York tried to do it, Mitchell writes.
But everyone loves to speculate. And every law, tax and policy started somewhere. It’s always fun to speculate, so let’s look at the pros and cons.
Pro: Money for health care
The proposal is that money from the “sugar tax” would be used to fund an overhaul of the health care system. Officials estimate that will cost $1.2 trillion.
The proposed tax for sugary drinks is 3 cents for every 12 ounces, which would raise an estimated $24 million over four years. Clearly, this will not pay for a health care system overhaul, but it will sure help.
Pro or Con? Discouraging consumption
Obviously, those who will oppose this tax, should it ever become closer to being a reality, will be those who drink sugary drinks on a regular basis. Besides my friend who drinks two bottles of VitaminWater every day, I’ve got one who usually downs two to three Big Gulps daily.
Neither of them would be happy if the price of their daily routines suddenly jumped. But, of course, part of the aim of the tax is to discourage consumption of these products. For people who want a little push toward healthier living, this would be a benefit. Opponents will probably argue for freedom and self-accountability.
This is ridiculous. Our leaders have wasted so much money meeting about silly things now they want to come up with money to cover all of the mistakes. Sugar? Why not try the Dietary Supplement Industry Congress passed in 1994 allowing “who knows what” to be sold to the public? We don’t even know if these things are safe at all. Sugar has been around forever and it is safe in moderation for most people. Please, whoever came up with this idea must be nuts!! If they want to pick on sugar, try the sugar in alcohol. Tax that more if you want but leave clean, normal citizens alone to have a beverage which is enjoyable but does not get you “high” or cause traffic accidents, change in behavior, etc.. Hit those pharmaceutical industries for some of their unnecessary gained monies. That makes a lot more sense and there is a lot more money for gain there.
This nations leaders both national and state representatives are really ticking off the majority of the American voters with these taxation without representation laws deliberately over taxing things like tabacco, food, and now “sugary drinks”!?! This stuff needs to be on a ballot before the American voters first! FACT: These drinks are NOT even made with “SUGAR” any more and that is part of the real problem. High Fructose Corn Syrup is what these companies now use, It is cheaper, more fattening than real sugar, and it is in most everything now including ketchup!
Example: Remember in 1985 when Coca-Cola discontinued the “Original Coke” and replaced it with “New Coke” for a very short time? Well I worked for Coca-Cola Enterprises then and I can tell you that when Public Demand wanted their “Real Original Coca-Cola” back most people believe that they complied and brought it back as “Coca-Cola Classic Original Formula”. Well that is not entirely true. It can not really be called “Original Formula” because just prior to it being replaced with New Coke, Coca-Cola was made with REAL SUGAR! The so called Original Formula came back with “High Fructose Corn Syrup”! Cheaper to produce and bigger profits! Pepsi uses the same thing (UNTIL JUST RECENTLY) Pepsi is bringing back Pepsi with REAL SUGAR for a limited time as I just saw a commercial for it this past week! Imagine that…just as this Sugary Drink Tax issue is coming up. Not taxing diet drinks? First off ever noticed that most obese people we see drink diet soda? It has been proven that artificial sweetners actually stimulate the appetite! Not to mention there are many medical professionals questioning the possible links between these artificial sweetners and conditions such as MS, Autism, and rises in other chronic conditions. These trials are ongoing. Do your own research and find out all of these facts. This tax is bogus! Enough is enough. Tax All Lobbyists! There is were are economic crises started by lining the pockets of these idiots in the house and senate. And those that taxed the crap out of Tobacco because it causes health issues and then pull the tax on their expensive cigars? The last I checked cigars are non-filtered and even more hazardous (especially second hand) then any of the dips, chewing, or cigarettes I can think of. I say BS to these political big spenders! Hopefully we vote them all out soon!
Thank goodness people are finally standing up and admitting that the added sugar that is in most packaged foods is causing many diseases in our population and costing us billions in health care. Things like alcohol and tobacco are known to effect health negatively and thus are taxed. Let’s face the fact that sugar is causing many health problems in our society and needs to be taxed to pay for the health care that people will be needing by consuming too much.
Does anyone remember the American Revolution? There was a sugar tax back then as I recall.
This is stupid. Look at how well the cigarette tax works to discourage smoking: it doesn’t.
Remember this: once you have a tax, it doesn’t go away. And then money goes to the people who waste it on things we don’t want.
I just have to say, is anyone noticing the top causes of deaths lately? Its not so much cancer, or freak injuries anymore. Obesity is the leading cause of death at the moment. But not everyone eats carelessly. We are in a recession at the moment which is causing more depression, and more depression usually leads to over consumtion of sugary foods.
I am all for trying to treat the obesity epidemic going on, but i am not okay with paying to help the people that are abusing tasty sweets when i buy my groceries or snacks. Just because its not a drug doesnt mean it cant be abused, but people still abuse alcohol and ciggarettes. What makes you think fat people are going to stop eating the way they do. I feel strongly about this because i am a petite girl, but i like to enjoy a snack every now and than. I shouldnt be punished with MORE taxes because others decide to eat themselves to death. In my opinion, this will do nothing but make the economy worse because no one will be able to afford to put food in their childrens mouth.
Are they going to give me a tax exemption for if it wasn’t for drinking about three sodas a day for the calories I would be ten pounds under weight instead of the five pounds that I am now. Why should I be taxed for ones that is over weight and most of them are overeating fast food that is the real problem. I really don’t like to eat !!