tax on junk food Essay Example

tax on junk food Essay Example tax on junk food Essay tax on junk food Essay Yes The federal government needs to stop paying attention to all the food lobbyists and do what is right for the American people. Cheap fast food and many unhealthy foods that contain unhealthy products are subsidized by the govt. The government needs to make healthy fruits and vegetables cheaper so that the average American can afford to spend their money purchasing real food instead of food that will ultimately lead them to obesity and a life on medication. Sin taxes already exist on unhealthy items; it can be extended to unhealthy food. Sin tax is already widely applied to many substances, such as alcohol and tobacco. Food containing absolutely no nutritional value, or food that is quantifiably unhealthy, should also be subject to these taxes. By making the unhealthy food more expensive, healthy food will be cheaper in comparison, which would result in more people choosing more healthy food options. Yes, taxing fast food and similar food products would create additional incentive for consumers to eat healthier. But it would also penalize some poor people. Taxes do seem to affect consumer behavior. Witness the decline of smokers as a proportion of the population over the past few decades, from a prevalence of about 45 percent to perhaps 20 or 25 percent today (a great public health victory). There seems to be little question, furthermore, that fast food, based on fat, poor utritional content, and other factors, carries risks that can contribute to obesity and other chronic health problems. But those consumers who continue to purchase fast food, out of habit, preference, or convenience (insofar as fast food producers do not offer many healthier alternatives), will be penalized, and many of these consumers are poor. This option should therefore not be ruled out, but it should not be the only policy option on the table, nor should it be implemented in a cavalier fashion.