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San Francisco Mayor Proposes Tax on Sugary Drinks
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by Rob Walker | December 18, 2007 at 06:39 am
1080 views | 2 Recommendations | 13 comments
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This isn't really such a horrible idea. Considering the amount of health care money going into treating obesity in North America, I think it's time we take a good hard look at what's causing these issues. Corn syrup, of course!
For years, the idea of taxing soda to beat back obesity has been tossed around in medical circles. But now, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is proposing a tax on beverages high in fructose corn syrup.Newsom says obesity accounts for tens of millions of dollars in city health care costs. He cites a recent San Francisco Health Department survey that found nearly a quarter of the city's 5th, 7th and 9th graders were overweight and that high sugar drinks make up a tenth of a kid's daily calorie count.
Newsom reportedly wants all big box retailers and chain drug stores to pay into his new "Shape up San Francisco" program, which started this past summer with a walking regimen.
This comes as the state of California is considering slapping caffeine-infused sodas, and energy drinks with warning labels, saying consumption can contribute to diabetes.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (13)
at 07:33 on December 18th, 2007
In Canada, they use real sugar because corn syrup isn't subsidized.
crimesagainstlogic has contributed a photo to this story.
at 07:37 on December 18th, 2007
Here arranged for your convenience, are colorful components designed to enhance your enjoyment of life and perhaps to help shorten it significantly.
anyjazz65 has contributed a photo to this story.
at 08:04 on December 18th, 2007
side note: boylan's has always used only cane sugar, not high fructose corn syrup, which is one reason i love it.
sukimeanstrouble has contributed a photo to this story.
at 08:20 on December 18th, 2007
In New Zealand, I tried really hard to find just one thing with high fructose corn syrup in it. And that's just what I found, one product, imported from, you guessed it, the good ol' u.s. of a.
nikkiprice has contributed a photo to this story.
at 08:56 on December 18th, 2007
Rob Walker, I like this story. It's good stuff.
I think it is great to work on beating obesity, it contributes to so many other health problems. Maybe they should also add more tax to Miller beer, a product that leads to obesity, alcoholism, drunken drivers, and O YES! sponsors the disgusting public homosexual orgies in the streets they like to call street fairs. San Francisco and Mayor Gavin regularly break the laws that the rest of America has to follow. San Francisco, nor California represent what America is about.
at 09:52 on December 18th, 2007
It is possible to make soda without high-fructose corn syrup!
coneybeare has contributed a photo to this story.
at 09:52 on December 18th, 2007
It is possible to make soda without high-fructose corn syrup!
coneybeare has contributed a photo to this story.
at 14:03 on December 18th, 2007
ugh...i love sugar! with caffeine? even better! how else can one survive the winters in this city!
at 15:44 on December 18th, 2007
Sugar...corn syrup...who cares? Fructose is a naturally occuring sugar, it is much easier to digest than white, bleached granulated sugar. Both should be used in moderation. The issue is not what type of sweetener is used, but weather or not anyone should dictate (or tax) what others choose. It is a typical California thing.
at 21:40 on November 2nd, 2008
Actually, it does matter what type of sugar. High Fructose sugars are not sensed by the liver the same way as normal cane sugar, so the liver is tricked into believing that your body is starved of real sugar and therefore starts pumping out FAT in order to give you energy. Hence! high FRUCTOSE corn syrup leads to OBESITY and DIABETES...because obesity causes insulin resistence (diabetes)....because otherwise your body would swell with so much fat you would probably explode or die from epic fat. Diabetes is actually a funny protection or defense mechanism against insane fat build-up, the more more fat you put on your body, the more likely your body will resist insulin etc etc. So its all tied to WHAT TYPE of SUGAR, the fructose is the bad stuff.
at 16:04 on December 18th, 2007
Mmmm, mmmm, high fructose corn syrup AND sugar.
misternaxal has contributed a photo to this story.
at 09:47 on December 19th, 2007
Has anyone else been following the comments this corn syrup issue is generating on the San Francisco Chronicle?
at 21:05 on December 19th, 2007
It's false advertising; I don't know any grandmothers who add high fructose corn syrup to their marmalade, and yet the package advertises it as the "old fashioned recipe." I can't wait until "recipes" like this are considered old fashioned!
mycophile has contributed a photo to this story.