New soda tax bill to help promote healthy kids

Assemblyman Bill Monning, a Democrat-Carmel California is proposing a tax on soda.  I know we have heard this before but with states, especially California, now hurting for money, it might have a chance of passing.  A tax on soda would mean $86 million dollars for California schools.

No one can argue that the schools have faced severe budget cutbacks and this tax could really help.  The bill is also a strategy to fight childhood obesity much like what has been imposed on the tobacco industry.

Not surprising, the Soft Drink Association is up in arms and Bob Achermann, a spokesman for the association, stated that it is unfair to target one industry to address obesity concerns.

Now, in all fairness, there are no definitive studies showing that soda causes obesity nor that an imposed tax would stop people from drinking it.  There are plenty of sugary drinks that are high in calories that are not soda.  You might be surprised to know that many fruit juices have just as much sugar as soda.

Now, I am not sure that this will be a big win for the fight against childhood obesity because children need to be educated and taught what are healthy choices and what makes a food item "a once in a while food".

I am not a proponent of making blanket statements because we are all so different and what works for some will not work for others.  But I do think we need help educating kids about healthy foods and it is an uphill battle when the food industry (mostly fatty and sugary foods) are spending billions of dollars marketing their foods to kids.

What do you think?  Should we tax soda?  Will this help kids drink less soda and more water and milk?