Should America Adopt a Fat Tax?
SodaHead News
2012/05/21 16:00:00
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Several months ago, Denmark became the first country in the world to adopt a "fat tax." The tax increased the price of certain fatty foods based on the fat content, kind of like the excise taxes on alcohol and tobacco that are already in place. Don't worry, there's currently no legislation in America threatening to tax fatty foods, but researchers are making a case for it in terms of fighting obesity.
Dr. Eric Wright, head of Indiana University School of Medicine's Department of Public Health, told RTV6, "We've applied tax to alcohol and tobacco and that has definitely shown through very many studies that it actually decreased use. So, the logic has been applied to fatty foods and preliminary evidence in Europe is that it’s very effective." The study suggests a 20 percent tax on cheeseburgers, but doesn't give any other examples. It expects to cut obesity rates by 3.5 and prevent 2,700 deaths. Do you think America should adopt a "fat tax"?
Dr. Eric Wright, head of Indiana University School of Medicine's Department of Public Health, told RTV6, "We've applied tax to alcohol and tobacco and that has definitely shown through very many studies that it actually decreased use. So, the logic has been applied to fatty foods and preliminary evidence in Europe is that it’s very effective." The study suggests a 20 percent tax on cheeseburgers, but doesn't give any other examples. It expects to cut obesity rates by 3.5 and prevent 2,700 deaths. Do you think America should adopt a "fat tax"?
Top Opinion
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The Libertarian 2012/05/21 17:32:36
The 2008 finance crisis (happened pre-Obama) was executed by shady banking practices. Offering loan to folks who can't pay while paying insurance for the inevitable SNAFU and a getting bailouts while their boards get bonuses. This spanned régimes so the politicians were spared (some) blame. But they got too cozy with banks running this Ponzi Scheme on the World.
establishing a wealth & windfall tax could help.
Fighting Obesity ..... will the fool out there who thinks the Government really gives a sh*t about the dimensions of our waistlines, Please Stand Up !
.................... they're damned sure doing an all out assault on keeping my wallet as thin as possible.
That was so lame you are like a fish out of water
.......................... but what did you do with the dead link dude .... it like beeeezz gone dude ?
Why don't we adopt a tax on people who do not mind their own business?
Why don't we adopt a tax on people who stick their noses in other peoples business?
I'm not trying to impose on people's rights, I just think that higher risk things should be acknowledged as high risk.
I suppose even broccoli could get you fat if you ate enough of it. However, some foods just are "higher risk"...It's something to consider, not an ultimate decision.