Taxation

Is taxing junk food chains a good approach in dealing with health related diseases? As of today the rate of chronic diseases have skyrocketed, we need to come up with a solution to make healthier food available to the population. Although junk good producers may find that the tax is unfair. The overall result of taxation is to improve the health of our nation. If taxation of fast food was a reality today it will ultimately motivate producers and sellers to improve their products and provide the consumers with better options. The increased percent of obesity amongst Americans is alarming. There has been an increased popularity in fast food and convenience store establishments that provide quick and energizing products. companies such as McDonald’s, Carl’s Jr., Burger King Coke and Pepsi and other junk food companies contribute to the increased rates of diabetes and obesity and a reasonable solution is to tax the company’s products to make them less appealing to consumers who sequentially will lead a healthier lifestyle in purchasing less expensive, healthier foods. The National Center for Health Statistics recently reported, “The most recent national data on obesity prevalence among U.S. adults, adolescents, and children show that more than one-third of adults and almost seventeen percent of youth and adolescence were obese in 2009-2010” (NCHS Data Brief, 6). Thinking back to simpler times when there was no junk food, people lived a healthier lifestyle but were actually underweight because they were not producing enough food for each family.
Companies might be skeptical of how taxation would have any health benefits on the consumers, because their ultimate concern would be that there would be a decrease in sales with the increased price. Although their concerns are valid, the taxation should provoke the companies to produce healthier products. Once companies come up with ways to reduce health risks with their products, people will be more appeal to buy