Comments on: USDA Study Shows Taxing Empty Calories Reduces Waistlines http://www.urbanfarmhub.org/2010/07/usda-study-shows-taxing-empty-calories-reduces-waistlines/ Puget Sound's Urban Farming Resource Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:31:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Andres http://www.urbanfarmhub.org/2010/07/usda-study-shows-taxing-empty-calories-reduces-waistlines/comment-page-1/#comment-2683 Andres Tue, 13 Jul 2010 05:40:36 +0000 http://www.urbanfarmhub.org/?p=4340#comment-2683 I disagree with Sightline's implication that sugary products cause a negative externality to society. While excessively eating junk food will indeed lead to increased medical costs (and eventually be a drain on healthcare, public resources etc), I'm not comfortable calling it an externality of the product. Its consumption does not necessarily lead to negative externalities in the same way, for instance, consumption of gasoline necessarily depletes natural oil reserves and raises CO2 levels. I say we focus on un-subsidizing corn before going after soda. Though, I guess in this example that's the same thing... I disagree with Sightline’s implication that sugary products cause a negative externality to society. While excessively eating junk food will indeed lead to increased medical costs (and eventually be a drain on healthcare, public resources etc), I’m not comfortable calling it an externality of the product. Its consumption does not necessarily lead to negative externalities in the same way, for instance, consumption of gasoline necessarily depletes natural oil reserves and raises CO2 levels.

I say we focus on un-subsidizing corn before going after soda. Though, I guess in this example that’s the same thing…

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