Liquid Candy: How Soft Drinks Are Harming America's Health ~ CSPI

Tax Soft Drinks!

To Promote Health and Raise Revenues

Americans consume huge quantities of soft drinks, which promote obesity and other health problems. Obesity alone costs $95 billion a year in medical expenditures, half of which are paid through Medicare and Medicaid. Taxing soft drinks is an effective approach for cash-strapped federal and state governments looking for ways to fund health care and disease-prevention programs.

New! Report: Taxing Sugared Beverages Would Help Trim State Budget Deficits, Consumers’ Bulging Waistlines, and Health Care Costs

To estimate how much revenue the federal government or your state could generate from an excise and/or sales tax on soft
drinks, enter sample tax rates into the Liquid Candy Tax Calculator. For technical information, see notes about the calculator.