Should an added tax be placed on sugary drinks, such as sodas?

Taxes are collected by the government as a way to supply the state with money to fuel infrastructure and pay civil servants for their work. This includes members of parliament, the president himself, his cabinet and those who work in both high and lower-ranking capacity for national corporations. They are government funded but do not necessarily receive money from the government to pay for wages. Instead, it caters to more significant tasks such as implementing projects.

The government places taxes on a variety of things, touching on every sector of the country’s economy including beverages and alcoholic drinks. The taxes apply as per the government treasury’s office regulations, and the industry complies for the smooth running of a business.

In some African countries, such as Kenya taxes can be very higher for alcoholic beverages, and telecommunications operations such as internet browsing and mobile money transactions. While in some nations such as Dubai in the Emirates, there is no tax applied to citizen and worker wages. The country is wealthy enough to sustain itself through proper budgeting and investment ventures. They are also able to market their country well. So much so that, the country has become a tourism, technology, healthcare and innovations hub through their marvelous infrastructure.

Taxes are often not applied heavily on consumables such as milk, bread, and other common staples, so as to minimize the pressure on lower income homes surviving on a basic salary or have only one source of income. Goods such as snacks, fizzy drinks such as sodas, toys and other preserved goods for both adults and children alike can endure added tax. This could also apply to fast food because of the risk they pose to childhood health and also the increasing numbers of people who are being diagnosed with conditions such as diabetes and obesity at an early age.

Fruity drinks and fizzy drinks contain high amounts of sugar that only leave the consumer thirst and, in some cases, they get addicted to these chemically doused drinks. They are very unhealthy with bad long-term effects. Every year younger people are getting irreversible diseases that leave them open to the risk of heart diseases, respiratory problems and long-term health consequences due to healthy eating habits.

Due to such circumstances, it would be better to add taxes on the consumables that contribute to the illness of the younger generation. This will effectively curb the quantities of these goods being sold due to the higher prices. Parents and teenagers alike are less likely to indulge freely in beverages they do not necessarily need. Other than diabetes and obesity, sugary drinks and overindulgence in sweets alike can lead to poor dental health.

More and more young people are suffering from tooth decay because of lack of proper mouth hygiene. This includes brushing after meals and avoiding sugary foods on a regular basis. When drinking juice and soda becomes a part of your daily routine then youngsters and adults alike suffer from painful toothaches, only to discover cavities and their teeth have to be pulled out prematurely.

When taxes are placed on the right items, keeping the wellness of all the citizens in mind, then citizens are bot hesitant to pay. The citizens are all shareholders in the country, and their satisfaction needs to be managed well to ensure everyone benefits. The president as CEO should not impose rules that stifle the common man’s business and livelihood. When this happens, the citizens begin to resent their leader and act out. However, when a problem area is identified in the society and the way to curb it is to impose a tax, then the president as caretaker is acting for the benefit of the shareholders. An example is the health crisis in the country leading to several new complex diseases and deaths due to poor eating habits.