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Should junk food be taxed?
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Packerjohn wrote: »AmbitiousButRubbish wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »For those that don't think this stuff should be taxed, ho do you propose paying the medical costs ot the 30% of the population thst will have diabetes by 2050 or before?
Remember this stuff.is a prime contributor to the situation.
This is what is wrong with people's thinking. Lets punish everyone because some people can't be responsible. Why don't we outlaw alcohol because there are alcoholics? The way America s going it will soon be easier to pot that it will be to get a snickers. WTF
Nobody said anything about outlawing junk foods, just some sort of tax. Similar to the excise tax that has been on alcohol for years.
The point of a tax like this is to discourage use. If you can't make it illegal just make it hard to get. I just don't understand why people want the government to tell them what they can/can't/should eat.5 -
A lot of people here (including me), is favoring education but how'd this be implemented? Obviously children ought to be, taught in schools but what about adults (whether they're parents or not)? I propose a class, rather than a seminar because with a class, a test'd be administered & thus'd ensure, that they were paying attention; instead of just attending for an incentive. I believe that the incentive should be, lower health insurance cost. Possibly some extras to get them started, like a food scale/gym membership. Also this should be mandated, when courts're involved in a child's well being. Like when a parent's ordered to take a parenting class, anger management & CPR.0
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Packerjohn wrote: »Nah I'd prefer the government stop subsidizing corn, wheat, and sugar and those savings should go to tax cuts for local small farmers.
Everyone gets all warm and fuzzy about the small local farms. Nothing wrong with this but fact is the small local farms cannot feed the US not to mention our contribution to feeding the rest of the world.
Sure they can. As long as the same amount of acreage is being farmed and the most productive techniques and crops are being used. It's an extremely hard way to make a living, and there is so much abusive cultural propaganda against farmers (hicks, hayseeds, rubes, boobs, yokels, hillbillies, rednecks, sh*tkickers, etc.) that it has driven a lot of kids off their family farms over the past few generations. Here in Indiana, a scandalous amount of good farmland is sitting fallow and full of weeds, or having horrible McMansions crappifying the landscape. Fortunately we have a booming Amish population spreading over more of the land and keeping agrarian traditions and practices alive. It would be in our best national interest, from both an economic and military/defense perspective, to have a robust, diverse mix of large AND small farms. Our agricultural capabilities are a national treasure and deserve to be treated as such. Foreign speculators sure know how valuable it is, and they are snapping up a lot of acreage at high prices. It's hard to grow affordable food on $15,000/acre land.1 -
I say no. However I think they are already exposed to sales tax. In many states you pay taxes on any grocery item, good or bad.
I just recently quit drinking sodas, 130 days ago.0 -
kanebrewer88 wrote: »In the UK where every nationals health is paid for by the Tax payer YES Absolutely!!
Unfortunately people are too ignorant to understand the importance of a healthy diet, ussually those people are the ones on benefits or in low wages. Make foods that as a product as a whole, add up to HALF or MORE of your daily calorie intake more expensive, and use that to subsidize or reduce taxes on healthier foods. This will increase incentive for family to buy healthy and reduce the likelyhood of requiring NHS treatment.
EDIT: How ignorant of me, id like to further add, its not just ignorance that pushes poorer familys to unhealthier foods. Its time, when both parents are working flat out, its far easier to stick a pizza in the oven then it is to cook properly. pre-made meals arent much help either as they're full of sugar and salt.
which causes diabetes and heart problems when not used in moderation.
If my country wants to be able to maintain our precious Free Medical Treatment for ALL policy, this is something we need to consider to combat BALLOONING costs.
maybe your costs would go down if you had a free market healthcare system....1 -
DeficitDuchess wrote: »A lot of people here (including me), is favoring education but how'd this be implemented? Obviously children ought to be, taught in schools but what about adults (whether they're parents or not)? I propose a class, rather than a seminar because with a class, a test'd be administered & thus'd ensure, that they were paying attention; instead of just attending for an incentive. I believe that the incentive should be, lower health insurance cost. Possibly some extras to get them started, like a food scale/gym membership. Also this should be mandated, when courts're involved in a child's well being. Like when a parent's ordered to take a parenting class, anger management & CPR.
These are all just shifts from the overburdened medical system to the overburdened legal system. You would still be treating symptoms rather than addressing the root causes.
1. Fix medical costs by removing insurance/government involvement.
2. Institute tort reform.
Medical costs moved with inflation until insurance became more and more invasive.1 -
bigrednewfie wrote: »A bottle of water should not cost more than a can of pop (chemicals & sugar). Its cheaper for families to eat crappy processed food than actual whole foods.......and then we wonder why so many are over weight and unhealthy. So then the government spends more money to do studies and educate us. Just make what we need available and reasonably priced.
A 24 pack of water costs $5. Price is not a driver.
This. And a 12-pack of soda is generally $4-5, so water is not more expensive than soda. Now if you're purchasing Evian then sure it's more expensive, but if you're purchasing the grocery store brand of water it's the same price, if not cheaper, than soda.0 -
sunnybeaches105 wrote: »
I guess if you dont care about the enviroment or the food supply or the purpose of taxing junk food in the first place, then sure it could go back to the tax payers instead!0 -
AmbitiousButRubbish wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »AmbitiousButRubbish wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »For those that don't think this stuff should be taxed, ho do you propose paying the medical costs ot the 30% of the population thst will have diabetes by 2050 or before?
Remember this stuff.is a prime contributor to the situation.
This is what is wrong with people's thinking. Lets punish everyone because some people can't be responsible. Why don't we outlaw alcohol because there are alcoholics? The way America s going it will soon be easier to pot that it will be to get a snickers. WTF
Nobody said anything about outlawing junk foods, just some sort of tax. Similar to the excise tax that has been on alcohol for years.
The point of a tax like this is to discourage use. If you can't make it illegal just make it hard to get. I just don't understand why people want the government to tell them what they can/can't/should eat.
Right. I know I don't. If I want to buy a tub of cookie dough along with my sparkling water, I should be allowed that without having to pay an additional fee. Plus, it's not like people can't become overweight by eating "healthy foods." Eating an avocado or 2 a day can easily throw someone over their calorie goal.3 -
bigrednewfie wrote: »A bottle of water should not cost more than a can of pop (chemicals & sugar). Its cheaper for families to eat crappy processed food than actual whole foods.......and then we wonder why so many are over weight and unhealthy. So then the government spends more money to do studies and educate us. Just make what we need available and reasonably priced.
Sigh... Do you live in Flint, MI? No? Drink tap water...3 -
kanebrewer88 wrote: »In the UK where every nationals health is paid for by the Tax payer YES Absolutely!!
Unfortunately people are too ignorant to understand the importance of a healthy diet, ussually those people are the ones on benefits or in low wages. Make foods that as a product as a whole, add up to HALF or MORE of your daily calorie intake more expensive, and use that to subsidize or reduce taxes on healthier foods. This will increase incentive for family to buy healthy and reduce the likelyhood of requiring NHS treatment.
EDIT: How ignorant of me, id like to further add, its not just ignorance that pushes poorer familys to unhealthier foods. Its time, when both parents are working flat out, its far easier to stick a pizza in the oven then it is to cook properly. pre-made meals arent much help either as they're full of sugar and salt. which causes diabetes and heart problems when not used in moderation.
If my country wants to be able to maintain our precious Free Medical Treatment for ALL policy, this is something we need to consider to combat BALLOONING costs.
Whose daily calorie intake? Hopefully not mine, or you're going to find food costs are going to go WAY up.
I'm also completely confused as to why it's easier to stick a frozen pizza in the oven than any other frozen meal. Do they not sell frozen meals that have moderate calorie counts in the UK? Because they do in the US, and it certainly isn't putting us ahead as far as obesity goes.
The thing is, it isn't just about convenience. It's about convenience, not giving enough of a flip about how much food they're eating (for many reasons including it's low on the priority totem pole), and wanting the food to be 'feel good' food - which gives an edge to the frozen pizzas and pot pies vs frozen vegetables and meat.
Frankly, if there were a way you could get people to care about how much food they're eating that worked other than having a personal epiphany, then you could get somewhere. They could even have a frozen pizza or pot pie if they wanted. And save money, because it'd stretch further.0 -
Gallowmere1984 wrote: »CatherineThorsdottir wrote: »I think a more interesting and possibly more feasible idea would be to restrict advertising. But again, I think defining junk food would be the barrier to this solution.
I would support requiring companies to show the calories in a clear way both in print and media advertising. Awareness is lacking in how many calories people consume on a daily basis. If people saw how many calories Doritos, regular soda or whatever has everytime they are advertised, they might stop overeating them.
This has been a thing for a long time in many places. It's not helping. I can give you all of the numbers in the world, but if you don't know what they mean, and don't actually track them, it's pointless.
ETA: not necessarily in TV adverts, etc., but I have been seeing more and more nutrition info in big bolded numbers on chip stands, and things of that nature. Also, restaurants in certain cities are required to have the information on their menus. Honestly though, you could have a banner go across the middle of the screen during Super Bowl commercials saying "600 calories per bag", and that's not going to stop anyone from eating it, that wants to eat the stuff to begin with. Hell, just take a look around this website, and these people are on a damned forum that's attached to a nutrional database (though many of the entries are suspect).
It might make them think twice though. I used to work at a pizza place and after we started posting our calorie counts, a lot of people stopped eating there every day for a "light snack" before heading home for dinner. (They would take one look at that 600 calorie slice of pizza, 1000 calorie meal - due to the enormous soda that came with it - and walk away).0 -
sunnybeaches105 wrote: »
I guess if you dont care about the enviroment or the food supply or the purpose of taxing junk food in the first place, then sure it could go back to the tax payers instead!
Yes, a return would be dandy. Some of us start to feel like the only adults in the room after paying for everything and listening to so much uninformed garbage.3 -
I'm in favor of taxing foods high in sugar that likely lead to cravings and obesity. This tax can be just a small amount, i'd like the revenue to be used to help pay for increased costs asssociated with obesity related diseases because some people will never "push back" from the table.
The amount of overeating many ppl do is extreme.....not everyone will agree but this is worth trying, as mentioned above, perhaps in a limited area.1 -
let people e happy with what they eat do etc. you have one life and there is already millions of restrictions.0
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I'm in favor of taxing foods high in sugar that likely lead to cravings and obesity. This tax can be just a small amount, i'd like the revenue to be used to help pay for increased costs asssociated with obesity related diseases because some people will never "push back" from the table.
The amount of overeating many ppl do is extreme.....not everyone will agree but this is worth trying, as mentioned above, perhaps in a limited area.
Sugar doesn't lead to cravings for me, and obesity is causes by too many calories, period. Why should I pay a higher tax for my Oreos?0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »I'm in favor of taxing foods high in sugar that likely lead to cravings and obesity. This tax can be just a small amount, i'd like the revenue to be used to help pay for increased costs asssociated with obesity related diseases because some people will never "push back" from the table.
The amount of overeating many ppl do is extreme.....not everyone will agree but this is worth trying, as mentioned above, perhaps in a limited area.
Sugar doesn't lead to cravings for me, and obesity is causes by too many calories, period. Why should I pay a higher tax for my Oreos?
So you can perhaps pay lower costs in total if a significant junk food tax and/or restrictions on use of SNAP funds reduces the costs incurred by the government and insurance companies related to obesity.
If you pay taxes and/or have insurance this impacts you.0 -
Packerjohn wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »I'm in favor of taxing foods high in sugar that likely lead to cravings and obesity. This tax can be just a small amount, i'd like the revenue to be used to help pay for increased costs asssociated with obesity related diseases because some people will never "push back" from the table.
The amount of overeating many ppl do is extreme.....not everyone will agree but this is worth trying, as mentioned above, perhaps in a limited area.
Sugar doesn't lead to cravings for me, and obesity is causes by too many calories, period. Why should I pay a higher tax for my Oreos?
So you can perhaps pay lower costs in total if a significant junk food tax and/or restrictions on use of SNAP funds reduces the costs incurred by the government and insurance companies related to obesity.
If you pay taxes and/or have insurance this impacts you.
So pay more in taxes to save money on taxes?2 -
Packerjohn wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »I'm in favor of taxing foods high in sugar that likely lead to cravings and obesity. This tax can be just a small amount, i'd like the revenue to be used to help pay for increased costs asssociated with obesity related diseases because some people will never "push back" from the table.
The amount of overeating many ppl do is extreme.....not everyone will agree but this is worth trying, as mentioned above, perhaps in a limited area.
Sugar doesn't lead to cravings for me, and obesity is causes by too many calories, period. Why should I pay a higher tax for my Oreos?
So you can perhaps pay lower costs in total if a significant junk food tax and/or restrictions on use of SNAP funds reduces the costs incurred by the government and insurance companies related to obesity.
If you pay taxes and/or have insurance this impacts you.
Please point to me where the promises of increased taxes have ever resulted in a positive influence on the market. I can provide many instances where the opposite has occurred, such as mandatory auto insurance, ACA, lottery systems, medicare, alcohol tax, tobacco tax....
Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is what?1 -
ha ha ha, I live in NY- it's already taxed! Everything is taxed in NY.0
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