Some are proposing a soda pop tax to help combat weight related health complications.
Press Release Service – Wired PR News – Some health officials are recommending a tax on soda pop be implemented to facilitate a slimming down of Americans. As reported by AFP, some have suggested that a tax on the drinks would contribute to fewer calories being taken in by many individuals, who may have weight related health complications, as well as increase revenue to help offset money spent on treating those conditions that are preventable.
Thomas Frieden, who heads the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is quoted in the report as stating of the issue, “The average American consumes roughly 250 calories more today than they did two or three decades ago… And of that, about 120 calories is in the form of sodas and other sugared food and beverages.”
Frieden is further quoted as stating, “The estimates we’ve seen suggest that a one-penny-per-ounce tax nationally would raise something in the order of 100 to 200 billion dollars over a 10-year time frame, as well as significantly reducing caloric intake — at least from soda and sugar-sweetened beverages.”
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