Soda tax of 1 cent per teaspoon of sweetener is proposed.
A “soda tax” of 1 cent per teaspoon of sweetener would be levied under a bill unveiled by Rep Rosa DeLauro, Connecticut Democrat, with the revenue used in programs to reduce obesity, diabetes and other health losses due to sugar-sweetened beverages. “There is a clear relationship between sugar-sweetened beverages and a host of other health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, obesity and tooth decay,” said DeLauro in a statement. A coalition of nine consumer and public health groups backed the bill. “A national tax on sugar-sweetened beverages will do more to curb the diabetes and obesity epidemics than anything that has been done to date,” said the California Center for Public Health Advocacy.
The American Beverage Association says in a blog “the soda tax is an old idea that has gotten no traction” and pointed to industry steps such as putting lower-calorie drinks on the market. San Francisco and Berkeley will vote in November on city-wide soda taxes to pay for health and nutrition programs; 2 cents in San Francisco and 1 cent in Berkeley, says the Washington Post.
A 12-ounce can of regular soda has 130 calories of sugar, the equivalent of eight teaspoons, says the American Heart Association. It recommends Americans “consume no more than 450 calories (36 ounces) per week from sugar-sweetened beverages,” such as regular soft drinks, sports drinks and fruit drinks. A teaspoon of sugar has 16 calories.