Article: California considers tax on soft drinks to combat obesity in children.(Brief Article)

Soft drinks may come under similar taxes to alcohol and tobacco in California if a bill seeking to combat obesity in the state's children is passed, according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle. A proposal in the California Legislature is looking to tax sugary soft drinks and give the money to schools and to child nutrition and physical education programs.

In the U.S. seven states have soft drinks taxes but none of them spend the money directly on fighting child obesity in this way.

Senator Deborah Ortiz, who is supporting the bill said she did not want to demonize soft drinks but that they were "worse than most other unhealthy ...

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