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Big Soda’s Well-Deserved Losing Streak Big Soda’s Well-Deserved Losing Streak
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This article is part of the Opinion Today newsletter. You can sign up here to receive more briefings and a guide to the section daily in your inbox.This article is part of the Opinion Today newsletter. You can sign up here to receive more briefings and a guide to the section daily in your inbox.
Regular readers of this newsletter know that I believe soda taxes are a very good idea. Soda is probably the single biggest contributor to the obesity epidemic of the last few decades; it is liquid sugar with no nutritional value and increases the country’s medical costs. Soda taxes cut consumption while avoiding a heavy-handed approach — like banning certain portion sizes — that rub many people the wrong way.Regular readers of this newsletter know that I believe soda taxes are a very good idea. Soda is probably the single biggest contributor to the obesity epidemic of the last few decades; it is liquid sugar with no nutritional value and increases the country’s medical costs. Soda taxes cut consumption while avoiding a heavy-handed approach — like banning certain portion sizes — that rub many people the wrong way.
Now, soda taxes are on a big winning streak. A penny-per-ounce tax passed by landslide margins in three different California cities this year (Oakland, San Francisco and Albany) as well as in health-obsessed Boulder, Colo. A few days later, legislators in Cook County, Ill., where Chicago is, passed a soda tax with the same rate. Philadelphia also has a tax. Now, soda taxes are on a big winning streak. A penny-per-ounce tax passed by landslide margins in three different California cities this year (Oakland, San Francisco and Albany). A few days later, legislators in Cook County, Ill., where Chicago is, passed a soda tax with the same rate. Health-obsessed Boulder, Colo., passed a two-cent tax this year, and Philadelphia has a 1.5 cent tax.
The soda industry isn’t finished fighting these taxes. It has shown a willingness to spend millions, often to broadcast false claims about a tax. But wealthy public-health advocates on the other side, like Michael Bloomberg, have joined the fight. Up next may be the first statewide push for such a tax, in Illinois.The soda industry isn’t finished fighting these taxes. It has shown a willingness to spend millions, often to broadcast false claims about a tax. But wealthy public-health advocates on the other side, like Michael Bloomberg, have joined the fight. Up next may be the first statewide push for such a tax, in Illinois.
One of the best parts of the taxes is that they don’t even seem to hurt the budgets of many low-income families, because they respond by drinking less soda — which is why the soda industry hates the taxes and the rest of us should welcome them.One of the best parts of the taxes is that they don’t even seem to hurt the budgets of many low-income families, because they respond by drinking less soda — which is why the soda industry hates the taxes and the rest of us should welcome them.