Tax has traditionally been used as a way to discourage consumption
(or on occasion to wickedly extort the good gentlefolk of their
hard-earned possessions for the benefit of the self-serving overlords).
Examples of this can be found in the tax on tobacco or Australia’s
carbon tax (or in the evil Prince John of Robin Hood fame). The latest
cab off the rank to be floated as warranting a tax to discourage
consumption is sugar and the case is convincing.
Researchers at the Columbia University Medical Centre and the
University of California have done extensive analysis to see what effect
a tax on sugar would have. The figures are reflective of the American
context but they have lessons for the wider world.
The researchers calculated that if sugar were taxed at the rate of a
penny-per-ounce tax and if this tax were imposed on sugar-sweetened
beverages only it would result in fifteen per cent reduction in
consumption and reduce the prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and
cardiovascular disease.
Source - Wellbeinghttp://www.wellbeing.com.au/newsdetail/Sugar-Tax_000653
