Congress Approves Sugar Tax Bill; Cost Of Sugary Drinks And Foods Expected To Triple By 2015
Â A bill that would tax granulated sugar and all sugary foods is expected to be signed by President Barack Obama next week, after The House gave final congressional approval on Wednesday to a bill that would tax sugar on a per-gram basis.âSugar abuse is linked to several health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and other various diseases. This tax on sugar would go straight into funding all medical research â not just those common ailments â but all medical research,â House speaker John Boehner said.The sugar tax bill is expected to triple the cost of foods high in unnatural amounts of fructose such as carbonated beverages, candies, frozen novelties, and over 700 other foods and drinks.âThe proposed bill is a good thing. We expect it to cut back on the unnecessaryÂ consumption ofÂ all junk foods, therefore, gradually making Americans who abuse these foods and drinks healthier,â  said Tom Harkin, the democratic senator from Iowa, who also serves as the chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health Education, Labor & Pensions. âFor those who are willing to pay the extra price, they will be helping the cause by funding research for a vast array of medical endeavors.âWhile many agree this could be a good thing, it seems mostÂ Americans seem to be opposed to the tax. In a poll taken by Empire News,Â 1,500 citizens throughout the United States were asked the question, âDo you agree or disagree with the proposed âSugar Taxâ bill?â An overwhelming 67% said they disagree with the bill, 23% said they approved, while the remaining 10 % declared they were undecided on or unfamiliar with the matter.In an interview with North Carolina Congresswoman Virginia Foxx, she said the stats that were compiled proved that the American people are unable to make reasonable decisions on their own that would benefit their overall health.âIt is incredibly alarming how American people have complete disregard for their health,â said Foxx. âLook, I love cherry pie, candy bars, and fruity mixed drinks as much as the next person, but I also know that abusing these things is really bad for me. So many things we do are horrible for our bodies. Take drinking, for example. Americans need to try drinking their booze straight more often. I have found that straight bourbon on ice is actually very refreshing, cut out the sugary, fruity crutches when you can. Drink it straight,â she said.Mary Jane Jenkins of Noblesville, Indiana disagrees with the bill, saying itâs âthe worst decisionâ that the government has made in ages.âLook, Iâm a fâ-ingÂ American voter and taxpayer. I should be able to use my food stamp card on anything I want, but with this stupid âsugar taxâ there is no way I will be able to buy my kids a box ofÂ Snickers bars. They say the price will almost triple. Thatâs absurd. It was bad enough when New York was in the news over their soda tax a few years ago, but this is crossing a major line. Whatâs next? Are they gonna tax their damn video games, too? This is our lives. Let us live and die at our own damn pace, fulfilling our own damn desires,â said an infuriated Jenkins.President Obama, as a vocal supporter of the bill, is expected to sign it into law next Thursday morning.