"Obesity Tax"

N.Y. state is proposing a tax on soft drinks as part of the upcoming budget. Whether it passes is another matter but it should stimulate a debate. There will be one argument that says these things should be taxed and another that will say soft drinks are benign and people need to think for themselves.

This is a tough one. Tobacco has been taxed for years with some success in reducing smoking rates. Will it work for soft drinks? I don't know. I think we need to look at a more complete approach to tackling obesity rather than a tax on soft drinks only. Generally, I don't like the idea of regulating or taxing behavior because I feel that people should be able to make their own decisions. In the end, unless the tax is $100 per can of pop I doubt it will make a real difference.