SAN FRANCISCO — In an effort to shrink the waistlines of California citizens, Golden State lawmakers are considering a penny-per-ounce tax on all sugary beverages sold in the state, including sodas, sweet teas, and energy and sports drinks.
“This bill will combat the obesity crisis and ensure that our children — and future generations of Californians — are not doomed to a shorter life expectancy and can instead live longer, healthier lives,†the bill’s author, State Sen. Bill Monning (D-Carmel), told The Los Angeles Times.
Monning’s legislation would add 12 cents to the cost of an average can of soda, while exempting all drinks under 25 calories; a regular Coke, for example, would become a bit more expensive, whereas a Diet Coke would still cost the same.
A similar measure was proposed by a Democratic California legislator in 2010, but that effort ultimately failed.
Advocates of the soda tax hope that increasing the cost of sugary beverages to put them on par with healthier, more expensive options will entice more people to make better choices when it comes to quenching their thirsts.
In addition, the bill would also create the Children’s Health Promotion Fund, which would use all revenue generated by the tax to fund childhood obesity prevention programs that promote physical activity and improve the quality of school lunches. The fund targets regions of the state with particularly high rates of childhood obesity.
An analysis by the California Senate’s Governance and Finance Committee estimated that the tax would generate about $2.6 billion in the 2014-15 fiscal year alone.
At just under 24 percent, California’s obesity rate is one of the lowest of any state in the country; however, a report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation predicted that number to double by 2030 if current health trends continue unabated.
The soft drink industry, which spent millions to defeat soda tax ballot measures in the Northern California city of Richmond and the Southern California city of El Monte last year, has unsurprisingly come out against the bill.
“We think singling out one source of calories for people is not the best way,†Bob Ackermann of the California-Nevada Soft Drink Association told ABC San Francisco. “It’s not fair. It’s not appropriate to lay the burden entirely on soft drink consumption because that’s not the whole story.â€
A 2009 study by Dr. Kelly Brownell published in the New England Journal of Medicine argued that the combination of the decreasing cost of soda and the increasing cost of fresh fruits and vegetables is likely one of the largest single contributors to the rise of obesity in the United States. The study also noted that a penny-per-ounce excise tax on sugary beverages, like the one under consideration in California, would reduce soda consumption by 13 percent and average weight reduction of two pounds per person per year.
Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, an associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of California, San Francisco explained to American Public Media’s Marketplace that a similar-sized soda tax, if implemented on a national scale, would save somewhere in the neighborhood of $17 billion in health care costs over the course of the next decade.
A recent Field poll revealed that 68 percent of Californians support the tax, although that number drops to 40 percent when revenue from the tax isn’t specifically earmarked for child health programs.
On the other hand, the idea doesn’t have nearly the same traction at the national level. A Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll released earlier this month found fears of a “nanny state†outweighed health concerns by more than 2-to-1.
Even so, efforts to impose similar taxes have become increasingly common in recent years as politicians around the country look for ways to combat the country’s growing obesity epidemic. Legislators in seven other states, including Vermont and Texas, have introduced bills that would tax sugary drinks this session alone.
The most high-profile anti-soda measure attempted of late was in New York City. Earlier this year, Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s ban on the sale of large sodas in the city was struck down by a judge mere hours before it was supposed to go into effect.
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Wendy’s Baconator Double
We’re sorry to tell you this, Mr. Mayor, but the cheeseburger called a href=â€http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2010/03/24/the-40-deadliest-fast-food-meals.html†target=â€_hplink—Deadliest Fast Food Mealâ€/a by the Daily Beast, the Baconator Double, packs 1,330 calories in one serving.
IHOP’s Chicken And Spinach Salad
Mr. Bloomberg, we apologize for the shock that burger must have caused you. Allow us to soften the blow with a salad. a href=â€http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2111042/Not-healthy-option–The-IHOP-chicken-spinach-salad-calorie-equivalent-THREE-Big-Macs.html†target=â€_hplinkâ€IHOP’s 1600 calorie Chicken and Spinach Salad/a. For the record, that calorie count is higher than a burger on their menu with an added strongbacon patty/strong.
T.G.I.Friday’s Loaded Potato Skins
We know how you feel, sir. Up is down, down is up, salad is terrible for you… perhaps potato skins have become good for you? Maybe not.
a href=â€http://www.tgifridays.com/greatfood#appetizers†target=â€_hplinkâ€T.G.I.Friday’s Loaded Potato Skins/a have 2030 calories and 131g of fat, which, it should be noted, is significantly more than the Jack Daniel’s Sampler Platter — which is a plate of meat, basted with Jack Daniel’s and sugar.
KFC Double Down
In case you somehow missed it, Mr. Bloomberg, we’d like to turn your attention to the KFC Double Down. They use fried chicken instead of buns for this sandwich, sir.
World’s Meatiest Sandwich
a href=â€http://www.geekologie.com/2012/05/28-lb-sandwich-is-worlds-meatiest-most-k.php†target=â€_hplinkâ€This monstrosity was created/a to commorate the UK launch of emMan vs. Food/em. Sir, you’re probably thinking to yourself, “Who wants to eat a 28 pound sandwich, anyway?†We’re not sure, Bloomie, but you’ll probably want to ban it.
Burger King Triple Whopper With Cheese
Mr. Mayor, we see your gears turning: just like the proposed ban on large sodas, you’re envisioning limiting Burger King customers to only two patties per burger.
Thisa href=â€http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5vjQQXauD0? target=â€_hplink†Japanese commercial for the product/a may have swayed us your way: you probably shouldn’t order anything you have to un-hinge your jaw to eat.
Bacon Explosion
Where will the line be drawn, Mr. Mayor? Will you follow your nose to the doors of those citizens who make themselves a a href=â€http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/dining/28bacon.html†target=â€_hplinkâ€Bacon Explosion/a and confiscate the contraband?
emBacon explosion picture by Flickr user a href=â€http://www.flickr.com/photos/beckmann/3362040723/sizes/z/in/photostream/†target=â€_hplinkâ€Elin B./a/em
Chili’s Shiner Bock Baby Back Ribs
Michael (can we call you Michael?), by now, we all know a href=â€http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/dining/23bloom.html?pagewanted=all†target=â€_hplinkâ€how much you like salt/a. But a href=â€http://www.chilis.com/†target=â€_hplinkâ€Chili’s Shiner Bock Ribs/a may be too much even for you: they’re packing a whopping 2310 calories, 124g of fat and strong6340mg of sodium/strong in one portion.
Please put down the salt-shaker, sir.
Denny’s Grand Slamwich
Because we know how focused on health you are, Mr. Mayor, you are likely very focused on starting your day off with a substantial breakfast. Please hang onto your Mayoral hat, because a href=â€http://dennys.com/†target=â€_hplinkâ€Denny’s Grand Slamwich/a is packing 1520 calories and 101 grams of fat.
Although there are currently no Denny’s locations in New York City, we thought you might want to disapprove anyway. Today NYC, tomorrow the world, am I right?
(You remember their a href=â€http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/01/dennys-mac-n-cheese-patty-melt_n_945390.html†target=â€_hplinkâ€Mac N’ Cheese Big Daddy Patty Melt/a, don’t you?)
Burger King Bacon Sundae
Still hungry for dessert? Well sir, Burger King a href=â€http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/12/burger-king-bacon-sundae_n_1590522.html?utm_hp_ref=food†target=â€_hplinkâ€will be giving their Bacon Sundae a wider release this summer/a, which means more soft-serve, fudge, caramel and bacon will be available to the public.
Cold Stone Creamery’s Chocolate Malt
Here’s one you might want to pick up your ban-writing pen for, Mr. Mayor: just one of a href=â€http://www.coldstonecreamery.com/†target=â€_hplinkâ€Cold Stone Creamery’s/a “Gotta Have Itâ€-sized Chocolate Malts contains 1520 calories and 85g of fat. A healthier option might be to just eat a a href=â€http://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/usda/butter?portionid=29481portionamount=1.000? target=â€_hplinkâ€stick of butter/a on its own.
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