New York Journal News

I agree with columnist Noreen O’Donnell (Dec. 20 column) that we should give Gov. Paterson’s soft-drink tax a try. Sugary soft drinks have been pinpointed repeatedly in medical studies as the biggest contributors to our obesity epidemic. The 50 percent to 60 percent rise in soft drink consumption from 1977-1997 parallels a roughly 50 percent rise in the obesity rate during the same period.

Soft-drink manufacturers have spent millions to effectively market their products to be consumed like water - anytime, anywhere and in excessive amounts. Adults and children routinely down sugared, super-sized soft drinks with meals and, when thirsty, quickly pushing them over their maximum calorie requirement for the day.

Obesity has hit New York state hard. We rank second among U.S. states in adult obesity-related medical expenditures, spending nearly $6.1 billion yearly; 81 percent of those medical costs are already borne by the taxpayer through Medicaid and Medicare payments.

With these points in mind, it makes sense for soft-drink consumers to pay an 18 percent tax to help offset the state’s growing obesity-related medical costs, and to fund obesity-prevention programs. And if the “obesity tax” discourages overconsumption of these drinks and helps to reverse the epidemic, that’s an added benefit.

Nancy Huehnergarth
Chappaqua
The writer is director, New York State Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Alliance