The debate over junk food taxes is drawing increasing attention from both sides. Continued debate over of the adverse health impacts of sugary drinks is coupled with heating debate over the propriety of a tax on a dietary pleasure — a pleasure some believe people have an unassailable right to partake in, but others find to be a health hazard.
Here are some recent arguments from vocal advocates on both sides of the debate:
Last month New York Governor David Paterson proposed an obesity tax to be levied on fattening foods. He characterizes America’s problem with obesity as a crisis. Drawing a comparison to cigarettes, he suggests that just as cigarette taxes reduced the number of American’s consumption of cigarettes, a tax on certain junk foods should reduce the consumption of unhealthy fare.
Paterson remarked:
“Just as the cigarette tax has helped reduce the number of smokers and smoking-related deaths, a tax on highly caloric, non-nutritional beverages can help reduce the prevalence of obesity”[1]