2008.12.18
NY Gov. proposes obesity tax
New York's Gov. David Patterson wrote a commentary to CNN today asserting the need for an "obesity tax." He has suggested an 18 percent tax on sugared drinks and fruit drinks with less than 70 percent juice.
"No one can deny the urgency of reducing the rate of obesity, including childhood obesity. Obesity causes serious health problems like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. It puts children at much greater risk for life-threatening conditions such as cardiovascular disease and cancer," he wrote.
We must never stigmatize children who are overweight or obese. Yet, for the sake of our children's health, we have an obligation to address this crisis. I believe we can ultimately curb the obesity epidemic the same way we curbed smoking: through smart public policy."
I recently wrote about schools working to combat the obesity issue in a variety of ways. School lunches are filling up with vegetables and the like, Still, school nutrition workers point to flavored milks and juices as a draw that are both healthy and quickly chosen by children.
What do you think? Should extra sugary drinks be taxed? Would you be willing to shell out the extra money for you soda?
