Voters at Berkeley, California chose to pass a bill that will impose tax on sodas and other sweetened beverages. The decision is being heralded as groundbreaking for some and hopes that it will spark a movement that will introduce the tax on the high sugar and high calorie drinks in other states as well.
Similar tax bills on beverages were attempted in other U.S. cities and states but only Berkeley has been successful in passing it so far.
The bill, called Measure D, levies tax on the distributor level was designed to combat the rising cases of diabetes, obesity and other diseases that come from an unhealthy diet.
According to reports, soda drinkers will have to pay "tax of 1 cent per ounce on calorically sweetened beverages including sodas and teas. Items such as baby formula, milk, and alcoholic drinks will not be included."
The price of an average 20 ounce can of Coke, for example, will be raised by up to ten percent.
The tax will not be imposed on diet sodas.
Measure D will take effect on Jan. 1, 2015.
Kelly Brownell, a supporter of the soda tax and dean of Duke University has hopes that other cities will follow in the footsteps of Berkeley in implementing the tax.
"Half the costs of diabetes and obesity are born by taxpayers, through the government health insurance programs Medicare and Medicaid. Those public costs 'justify the government getting involved, just like tobacco taxes,'" he said.
Unfortunately for advocates of taxing unhealthy drinks, many experts are saying that the vote in Berkeley is not representative of what America wants as a whole. Many politicians may not want to risk backing a tax on unhealthy food.
However, the win in Berkeley plus a popular vote for a similar tax in San Francisco (which did not get passed), puts the spotlight on the issue and many hope it will be a wake-up call to other Americans to support similar movements in their own communities.
