User:Steevenc30/sandbox

Arguments Against the Soda Tax:

Substitutes are a familiar concept. If a specific brand or good has increased in price or is no longer available, people will generally gravitate to another similar product. The same concept can be applied to the soda tax. Soda has high contents of sugar but just as other types of drinks. If individuals notice a change in price that is significant enough to deter them away from soda, they may opt to instead drink juice or even beer as substitutes(Block and Willeet, 2011). Because of the many substitutes, for the consumers who are very price sensitive, there exist an abundance of alternatives that will satisfy their needs. The existence of sales and promotional offerings presents a problem. Consumers may choose to purchase a soda at events when and where the prices are lower, thereby canceling out any potential soda substitution (CDC, 2010).

Individual Choice:

People are aware of the problem of obesity, but that doesn’t delay or prevent consumption. A study by the Obesity Task Force in New York City noted that nearly 60% of the population was obese and that it was leaded cause of preventable deaths(OTF, 2010) (Mokdad, et al, 2000). The problem is that people are aware of the growing issues but still engage in the activity. Opponents of the soda can make the argument that multiple factors affect an individual's weight such as genetic factors, drinking behaviors and other external factors not related to drinking behavior. It is not solely soda that makes up the weight gain(ABA, 2013). If people are aware of the prevalence of obesity, and the factors that link to obesity, are the grounds justified for imposing a soda tax and what would prevent people from seeking other equally harmful substances?

The health benefits of cutting down sugar is plenty. The CDC notes that those who engage in sugar-sweetened beverages also seem to partake in less healthy behaviors such as lack of exercising, increased eating of fast food, etc. (CDC, 2017) However, based on social economic data, we find that the soda tax affects wealthy and poor consumers differently. In essence, the Soda tax will not affect wealthy consumers: Soda taxes would have to increase as much as 20% in price to discourage people from buying (Campbell, 2012). This tax presents a more significant problem when considering that this negatively affects the poor whose income is now spent more on drinks. (Margot, 2016) For consumers who are wealthier, this tax does not present an obstacle that will deter them from buying. City Council has ambivalent sentiment towards the tax due to its regressive nature. Less wealthy people consume more sugary drinks than high earners. (Margot, 2016).

Food choice is particularly interesting to me. With the ongoing fight against obesity, atherosclerosis, among other health issues, public policy has sought to take initiatives to decrease the rapid rise of behaviors that lead to these problems.

Links to Journals:

https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/pdf/10.1377/hlthaff.28.6.w1110

http://healthyeatingresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/HER-Sports-Drinks-Research-Review-6-2012.pdf

http://www.businessinsider.com/uae-dubai-sugar-diabetes-tax-soda-energy-drinks-tobacco-2017-10

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3814405/