A Scottish physician has an extreme - perhaps revolutionary proposal for fighting obesity in the U.K.: A tax on chocolate!
Hold onto your chocolate covered cherries!
Dr. David Walker, a general practitioner from the town of Airdrie, said the candy has become a harmful addiction for too many of his countrymen and is contributing to rising levels of obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Subjecting chocolate to a "sin tax" -- as is done for alcohol and cigarettes -- would help return it to its rightful status as an occasional treat instead of a daily indulgence, he told BBC News.
So guess what - They put his proposal up for debate this week in Glasgow, Scotland at a medical conference. How do you think it went?
Fortunately, the proposal failed by two votes. Dr. Walker remarked: "I am disappointed that the motion was not supported by conference, however, I am pleased that it has stimulated debate on obesity and the worryingly high levels of diabetes in Scotland."
I heard there was a band of housewives picketing the conference and threatening to turn the English Channel into a chocolate milkshake if this proposal passed. Their battle cry was "Remember the Boston Tea Party?" And there leader was someone named Jane. Wow! If they put a sin tax on chocolate, what's next? French Fries? Cookies? Ice Cream? Coffee?
Seriously though, has a sin tax ever curbed the sin? How much of a premium would you have to charge on chocolate before people cut back on their consumption?
Let's hope this is the end of this debate. It could get ugly.
