We Should Tax Sugary Drinks and Other Junk Food

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Have you ever thought about obesity in America and how to reduce it? Marlow and Shiers state in their viewpoint article, " Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta estimate that obesity now accounts for 9.1 percent of all medical spending-$147 billion in 2008 (Marlow and Shiers)." This means that nearly ten percent, 147 billion dollars, of medical spending in the whole United States is caused by obesity. Not only does it account for almost ten percent of the medical budget, obesity is rampant in children these days. For example, I have a four year old nephew that lives at home with me. When he is thirsty he says "Uncle Alex, can I have soda?" I tell him no and get him a glass of water. He isn't obese by any means, not even overweight, but if he continues to drink soda as he does, he may be one day. Many people argue that there should be a tax on sugary drinks saying it will help reduce obesity in consumers, reduce chances of heart disease and diabetes, make sports more competitive, and set better examples for children.

To begin with, “That's nearly $3 per case. Why so much? Because this tax, unlike the petty junk-food taxes of yesteryear, is designed to hurt. It's purpose is to discourage you from buying soda, on the grounds that soda, like smoking, is bad for you (Saleten 1)." This quote is in reference to the proposal of a penny-per-ounce tax on sugared beverages such as soda and juices. Lets do comparison math for a second. One twelve pack of sodas at your nearest grocery store is around two dollars. If the penny-per-ounce excise tax were enforced, that would mean there would be a one dollar and forty four cent increase in price. That being said, a twenty four pack of store brand water is around...

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