What’s your take on the obesity tax?
In September 2006, the Centre for Health Governance, Law & Ethics in the Faculty of Law, University of Sydney hosted the symposium “Obesity: should there be a law against it?”. The papers presented at the conference expressed different perspectives on strategies that might help curb the obesity epidemic especially among children, from advertising regulation to taxation, to cash incentives. Australia, New Zealand and many European countries have already taken steps towards governmental interventions to address the problem.
In the US, one of the first and most controversial of these measures is the obesity tax proposal in New York. The proposal would place an extra 18% sales tax on fattening products such as non-diet soda and sweetened drinks which have less than 70% fruit juice content. Supporters of the tax proposal which include Governor Paterson and State Health Commissioner Richard Daines give the following reasons:
- It would discourage people from drinking soda and other fattening drinks.
- It will help fight obesity.
- It would help raise $400 million for the state and help balance the budget.
Mr. Daines even posted a video about the proposal on YouTube. (featured above)
Many reports claim the tobacco taxes are helping curb smoking. Obesity tax proponents hope that fattening drink consumption would follow the same pattern.
Opponents of the proposal, however, claim there are better ways of fighting obesity and that the obesity tax is not fair to the consumers.
So far, the proposal “did not pass muster with the legislature in the last session” according to Channel News 13.
So what is your take on the obesity tax proposal? As a parent? As a consumer? As a taxpayer?
Melissa H says...
The idea of a tax for obesity is absolutely immoral. While I myself am not I have family members who are and I have watched numerous times as these people have been repeatedly humiliated. It is somehow acceptable because so many people consider it the person’s own fault. Guess what IT ISN”T ALWAYS…. As to the no-diet pop… they ALWAYS drink diet… they are diabetic. Funny how no one ever takes into consideration some of the health issues that create the obesity problem. The blame for these diseases is always placed solely at the feet of the afflicted for their lack of self control, or their poor food choices. That isn’t always the end of the story. In a family with no fewer than nine people with diabetes there is a loaded gun… Not to mention the history of genetic arthritis. There are several people in my family who are diabetic, nearly crippled with arthritis, and guess what obese. And so we offer new and humiliating legislation that makes them feel embarrassment even watching the news because they know that they are the target of this legislation. In my opinion it is different form of discrimination that too many people have decided is okay. Just imagine if there was legislation that was introduced that tageted specifically minorities, handicapped, or women. Just think of how the homosexual community is up in arms over the marriage ammendments they want. And while the argument can be made that this is more of SIN TAX and doesn’t target anyone in particular… just look over the language used… the wording gives away the beast that is hidden and anyone who is overweight and feels poorly about it feels like a target. It is high time that this hidden discrimination comes to the forefront and is irradicated… how is shaming a person the right method to get them the help they may need?
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