Blog post 8: Junk Food and Taxes

Tax.Why is it so important? Why should adults pay for tax? Do you approve on paying tax when you eat certain food like Junk Foods? Soft drinks? Chips?

I'm still a college student but someday, I will start working and then pay taxes. Adults pay taxes to support our government, to help our government to succeed, make our country succeed. There is a tax called "sin tax" that is implemented to countries. Sin tax is paying for certain things you buy like junk food.

As I was searching about Junk Food, An interesting article caught my eye entitled,"Mexico's Chamber of Deputies OKs junk food tax" written by Tracy Wilkinson in articles.latimes.com. This article talks about the implementation of paying more tax in the country of Mexico.

This article talks about how the High-calorie foods and sodas made people in Mexico become obese. It says that Mexico has one of the world's highest rates of obesity. Many food experts approve to make people pay more tax for high-calorie foods and sugary drinks but Business community doesn't want it to be implemented because their sales would fall and if the tax increases, People won't like it too. One father said it is a cruel way to take away the little pleasure children receives.

For me, There are advantages and disadvantages when this gets implemented in Mexico. The advantages is that it 'may' reduce obesity and it can also help their country but the disadvantages is that people who can't afford to pay more would have a hard time maintaining a family especially when they can't cook or afford to cook at home.

As I was researching further about tax in food, I saw an article entitled,"Tax junk food: Fight obesity one penny at a time" by David Lazarus in articles.latimes.com. This is about how the California lawmaker is targeting the obesity epidemic from tax.

A lawmaker proposed a 'penny-an-ounce tax' on soda and other sweetened drinks. Of course, Food industries doesn't approve of this proposal. The Food folk has said that it is a way for punishing people for unhealthy behavior. One recent study found that adult obesity rates for  blacks and Latinos higher than for whites. Wilson said that the real problem is the consumption of calories.

I think,It is a great law that should be implemented but even though it would be implemented, It really depends to the person on how he/she controls on how much he/she consume unhealthy foods. I think that this law would reduce people who would be obese but it just really depends on the person.

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