SupplySide

Doug's Domain

Douglas J. Peckenpaugh is community director of content and culinary editor of Food Product Design. His career has centered on food and agricultural publishing, working as a writer, editor and publisher of magazines, books and websites. He also worked as a cook and restaurant manager while earning his B.A. in Professional and Creative Writing from Purdue University.

On Food Sin Taxes

August 25, 2009 Comments

Posted in Blog, High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), Sweeteners

I’ve seen this one building up for some time, and I hate to say it, but I bet we’ll see a city somewhere pass this ridiculous idea—the application of “sin” taxes to “junk” food—into law. Instead of working toward real solutions to unhealthy behaviors, they’ll resort to simple-minded, knee-jerk reactions like this that simultaneously fill governmental coffers and demonize delicious foods. As noted in a recent piece in the Los Angeles Times, it appears people are warming to this absurd, nannyesque idea. But repeat anything long enough and you’ll round up more converts.

Instead of conveying the wrong-minded idea that any treat is a bad treat to impressionable minds, it might behoove TPTB to collectively work to make their jurisdictions happier, safer places to live with regular exercise in all schools, sound nutritional education (which would never exclude the occasional fun, indulgent treat) more parks suited to active play, and so on.

But I bet we’ll have to learn this lesson the hard way.