May 16, 2019

Anna  Murray 

At the beginning of 2017, Philadelphia became the second US city to implement a soda tax, 1.5 cents per ounce, on sugary or artificially sweetened drinks. The tax is equivalent to 30 cents for a 20-ounce bottle and about a dollar for a 2-liter.
According to a study published on May 14 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, shoppers in the Philadelphia region bought almost 1 billion fewer ounces of soda in 2017 than in 2016, sales on those beverages inside the city of Philadelphia fell 51%. But, sales in nearby towns and counties without the tax increased by 43%. It indicates people may have been traveling to get their soda at a reduced price in nearby areas. Adjusting for this shift, the study found sales dropped 38% overall.
Scientists have considered that sugar leads to a number of health problems including high cholesterol, fatty liver disease, and diabetes, and called for a soda tax nationwide in hopes that people might drink less soda. In March, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association called for policies limiting consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages among children and teens, leading to the soda tax. Frequent consumption of sugary drinks has also been linked to a higher risk of premature death.

Natalie Muth, a pediatrician and registered dietitian in Carlsbad, California said: "We have tried, and failed, to curb sugary drink intake through education and individual choices alone." Muth, who was lead author of the policy statement published in the journal Pediatrics, said at the time. "Just like policy changes were necessary and effective in reducing consumption of tobacco and alcohol, we need policy changes that will help reduce sugary drink consumption in children and adolescents."
Communities in California and Mexico where a soda tax has already been implemented have shown similar outcomes. Earlier this year, a study published in the American Journal of Public Health that sugary drink consumption reduced more than 50% three years after Berkeley, California, passed a soda tax.

Photo:Webshot.