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Tax chocolate says Scottish doctor
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by mudricky | March 11, 2009 at 10:22 pm
322 views | 42 Recommendations | 13 comments
A family doctor from Scotland has called for a tax to be set on chocolate to help pay for the fight with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
The doc thinks a system should be set-up similar to cigarettes and alcohol.
Food scientist and nutritionist Dr Walker told the BBC news website: "Obesity is a mushrooming problem. We are heading the same way as the United States.
"There is an explosion of obesity and the related medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes. I see chocolate as a major player in this, and I think a tax on products containing chocolate could make a real difference."
A Scottish GP has called for chocolate to be taxed in the same way as alcohol and cigarettes to tackle increasing levels of obesity and type 2 diabetes.Dr David Walker, a GP in Lanarkshire, said many people eat their entire daily calorie requirement in chocolate, on top of their normal meals.
The doctor said chocolate used to be seen as a "treat" but had now become an harmful addiction for some.
He will put his proposals to colleagues at a BMA conference in Clydebank.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (13)
at 00:25 on March 12th, 2009
If people want other people to help pay for their medical bills, then other people get some say in how much you pay for your vices. No?
I wouldn't tax chocolate. I would tax simple sugar. And French fries!
at 02:08 on March 12th, 2009
did you know, you can die from drinking water, if you drink too much at once?
Personally I only eat "pure choc" without any added sugar. You can eat as much as you want!
Like Mr Roy C states in his comment, tax sugar and high fat oils!
at 00:03 on March 12th, 2009
Tax every thing that is non essential and may harm once health. May that be Cigarettes, Alcohol, Chocolate or other such products the tax can be used in the health care system where we have to deal with all those that abuse their health and end up costing us a lot of money. We should also heavily tax all imported food that contributes to green house gases due to the long transport.
Taxes can be used in a rather positive way if done properly.
at 06:32 on March 12th, 2009
Did you know Fish F##K in Water? That's why I only drink Booze!
at 07:53 on March 12th, 2009
Come on Mudrickky, We are talking Glasgow here right,I doubt if they get away with this one.Chocolate has many benefits to ones health also,but have we just to forget that bit.
I call this punishment against Fatism! So the overweight population are being victimised for eating chocolate. Naw naw naw naw! I wonder if it was a skinny person who came up with this idea? Whit next! tax tax tax tax tax. on tax tax tax. Awe, this is depressing news, !think!. A will just eat chocolate, to cheer me up.
at 11:33 on March 12th, 2009
Why do I have to pay taxes on my food just because a couple of ignorant and lazy ass don't know how to stop?
I have a better solution:
You caused the problem, you paid for it. I'm tired of people that are not responsible of their own acts.
at 23:43 on March 11th, 2009
Though I do think the extra money to pay for services should come from point of use - I do get your point and agree in a way.
at 00:58 on March 12th, 2009
I do not agree with this tax. Why should those who responsibly eat chocolate have to be pay more!? I don't think it will put people off buying chocolate anyway. Alcohol is heavily taxed in the UK, yet people certainly still buy lots of that! :)
What about high-cocoa-content chocolate? This is low in fat and full of fibre? Will this be taxed too?
at 06:31 on March 12th, 2009
Those Bastards!!!
at 07:40 on March 12th, 2009
Nooooooooooooooooooo!!!!
Ok I can see the point, but all I can think about right now is where can I get a pack of Munchies...
at 08:02 on March 12th, 2009
ha ha ha
at 08:02 on March 12th, 2009
Good point, never looked at it that way.
at 09:28 on March 12th, 2009
The doctor is making the same "opinion of extremes" mistake that he believes many consumers are making. He thinks that they believe that all chocolate is good for them --- he says that all chocolate is bad. The reality is the chocolate which is actually made with substantial amounts of unsweetened chocolate can be part of a healthful lifestyle (a high quality dark chocolate can contain 12 times the antioxidants found in blueberries). However, many milk chocolates contain less than 11% pure chocolate --- this means that the other 89% is primarily sugar and milk. Many dark chocolates contain less than 16% unsweetened chocolate with the balance primarily being sugar.
An underlaying assumption seems to be that fat makes you fat --- reality is that carbohydrates (sugar and starch) are the prime diet drivers for people being fat.