Entry #3

WHO recommends tax of at least 20% on sugary drinks

October 11, 2016

CBC news

CBC.com

Overview:

On Tuesday, the united Nations health agency asked the government to put on a tax of 20 percent on all sugary drinks. Including, soda, fruit drinks, energy and vitamin water drinks, sweetened iced tea and lemonade. The reasoning was that drinking less sweet drinks can prevent excessive weight, illness and chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes.

Dr. Douglas Bettcher, the head of WHO's (world health organization) department for non- communicable diseases, said, "If government tax products like sugary drinks, they can reduce suffering and save lives". Obesisty has doubled world- wide between 1980 and 2014, now, the world has 11 percent of male population considered as 'obese', and 15 percent women. The WHO organization wrote a 36- page report about the action, stating that it will fight obesity and other illness. The WHO also suggests governments to take 3 other steps of approaching. Subsidize what people pay for fresh fruits and vegetables to improve diets. Increase income for governments to pay for health services. Fund information campaigns. The Canadian diabetes association urges the government to take actions. Dr. Jan Hux, chief science officer at the Canadian Diabetes Association, said, "People with diabetes account for 30 per cent of strokes, 40 per cent of heart attacks, half of kidney failure requiring dialysis and 70 per cent of non-traumatic amputations. This disease has a huge impact on Canadians and on the health-care system and even threatens the sustainability of the health-care system."

The tax will eventually generate around 1.8 billion dollar revenue for the government, based on research. Most teenagers are consuming for sugar than the standard that an adult should, which is 1 can of pop per day (40 grams of sugar, 10 teaspoons).

Energy drinks in a supermarket, if the new tax is established, then the price tag might change drastically.

Opinion:

 I think the tax placed on sugary drinks is not acceptable and fair. The retail price of many drinks are already sold at a high price, for instance, many energy drinks after taxes can be sold around 3 to 4 dollars. Placing the tax will provide for inconvenience and dissatisfaction for the customers. Merely increasing the price is also not the most effective way of reducing obese population. Just because some people are obese doesn't mean that they cannot afford a few packs of drinks, at most around 15 dollars. Therefore, I don't think the tax will reduce significantly the obese population, because if some individuals are in desperate needs, or simply passionate, an extra tax won't stop them. Stop drinking sugary drinks doesn't necessarily solve obesity, the more important factor is about consistent exercising. Exercise can train better heart function as well as increase metabolism, which makes a person healthy and fit. The government should be encouraging obese people to try exercising, and award them if shown effective. If some individuals are incapable of exercising, then they should be provided with extra care and restrictions on diet, all on the government's expense. The government can promote exercise by organizing working- out events, or spreading advertisements about it. The price on the retailing of drinks should still be altered, I think the best way is to leave the price of individual items unchanged, but apply tax on packs or wholesales of sugary drinks. Then people might just purchase a few drinks at a time, considering that packs are more expensive, and buying a numerous of individuals will be almost the same. That should limit some large- consumption customers. Before the government start taking actions, it should request the associations in Canada related to diabetes or obesity, to spread out advertisements and publicity about over- weight. This way might influence some individuals beforehand.