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A solution has been proposed to begin to quell the obesity epidemic in the United States. No, it is not more education or more exercise. Instead, it will come in the form of a tax.
A New York health official is calling for sugary sodas and sport drinks to be taxed a penny per ounce. It is widely believed that taxing sugary drinks will greatly reduce the amount consumers drink every year. This proposal follows in the same vein as the cigarette tax, and in many ways, it just as unpopular.
Opposition is coming from consumers, legislatures and from American Beverage Association. Although, they say, obesity is a huge problem and epidemic, the cure is not to single out distributors of sugary drinks to fight it. They also pointed out that although soft drink sales have been in a slow decline as of late, the obesity rates continue to climb at an alarming rate. Therefore, sugary drinks can not be the culprit.
Of course, the other major reason for such a proposal is that supporters believe it will be the source of some major revenue that is much needed in this time of recession.
Experts believe that soda is one of the major reasons why childhood obesity is on the rise. Since the 90s, it was found that children drink more soda than they do milk or water in their every day life. It is believed that a tax on sugary drinks will make people think twice before buying at the grocery store.
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