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
P.S. Only the ignorant think they are helping someone when they are telling them how to live their lives
Because the manufacturers of junk foods know all to well what they are doing to people who eat those foods, and yet they take no responsibility in the high cost of medical problems those foods cost society.
I think we should pose a tax on all junk food manufacturers like we do weapons makers, which is very costly to manufacture, so that tax can pay for the end result of junk foods.
It's like a bottle of booze stating "Please drink responsibly", lol, like that's gonna happen with most people, but it is their way of saying they are trying to warn people of the dangers of drinking, and it dosen't, but the high tax on booze gets the messaga across, and it will on junk food as well.
When it's cheaper to buy a dozen apples or a box of ding dongs, people will eventually figure it out, or the manufacturers of ding dongs will have to pay the medical costs in taxes on their junk food.
Drive the junk food manufacturers back in the holes they crawled out from!!!!
The manufacturers of fast food have the "ultimate" responsibility to the customer to provide a safe product. And if they don't, should be penalized for that disregard of responsibility they do not see because of greed of profit over health concerns.
Once human beings are seen as cash cows, and not real people the effort to push the human race forward stopps!
And we all suffer for it.
Taxes on alcohol and tobacco have caused hundreds of thousands of people to purchase less of those products, and cut down on consumption of same, which in turn means less medical expense for societys taxpayer.
Because bottom line here is "YOU" will be paying for all of it through higher taxes as people need more medical help for over consumption of those unhealthy items.
So do continue your rant for allowing manufacturers of fast food to medically disable your future and your children's future.
There are already reports form the medical society that this next generation of children may be the first generation in earths history that does not outlive their parents, and most of that is because of the junk food industry.
So your fighting a loosing battle my friend, that's a fact you will live to see!
There are also other, non-food possibilities for being fat. Medication or medical conditions could have something to do with it.
As far as I can tell, it's a dead heat all the way to the finish line.
A possible example, an advocate lobbies for leniency for someone with a record of serious assault, claiming s/he wasn't breast fed or like excuse. The same person later goes and kills somebody, the advocate should be held responsible.
The reverse also occurs, there was murderer found to have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and now fully excused. There needs to be some weighted balance applied