UK Doctors: "Tax fizzy drinks and bad junk food ads" page 2

[JoanieL]

The only reason I'd like to see soda sales taxed here is that because as it is now, it's a "food" and so it can be bought with food stamps. I honestly don't care what adults do to their bodies, but since children drink a lot of soda, I'd like to see that curbed even just a little.

I understand it's a slippery slope. I want soda in the non-food category, someone else wants coffee categorized non-food, etc. And I know that when all is said and done, sales taxing soda won't help children who have parents that either can't say no, or don't know enough to say no.

[itchy166]

Of course UK Doctors as a group are getting increasingly ridiculous.

British Doctors Call for Ban on Long Kitchen Knives to End Stabbings

Taxation and stupid laws, because my ego is sooooo big, I'm going to save people from themselves...... You know that this kind of thinking would (mistakenly) ban cholesterol and saturated fat as well; bye bye Primal eating.

[itchy166]

The only reason I'd like to see soda sales taxed here is that because as it is now, it's a "food" and so it can be bought with food stamps. I honestly don't care what adults do to their bodies, but since children drink a lot of soda, I'd like to see that curbed even just a little.

I understand it's a slippery slope. I want soda in the non-food category, someone else wants coffee categorized non-food, etc. And I know that when all is said and done, sales taxing soda won't help children who have parents that either can't say no, or don't know enough to say no.

A better solution would be to end food stamps, but that will never happen.

[JoanieL]

I really don't want to derail this thread. I got food stamps when I was in college. I also got free grant money. As the result of getting these "hand-outs," I was able to complete college and go on to work better jobs than I would have had I only had a high school education. Better as in more money, thereby paying more taxes. Would the country have really been better off if I'd stayed a skill-less worker who produced less and paid fewer taxes? Surely four years of food stamps have been paid back by 35 years of paying taxes.

[itchy166]

I really don't want to derail this thread. I got food stamps when I was in college. I also got free grant money. As the result of getting these "hand-outs," I was able to complete college and go on to work better jobs than I would have had I only had a high school education. Better as in more money, thereby paying more taxes. Would the country have really been better off if I'd stayed a skill-less worker who produced less and paid fewer taxes? Surely four years of food stamps have been paid back by 35 years of paying taxes.

You are an exception to the rule. (There are over 46million Americans on SNAP, most will never go to college). And, by your own admission you were severely over-charged. I don't want to get into it here either, so in the interest of getting back on topic:

Do you really trust CW doctors to implement public policy? Like I said, this kind of thinking would outlaw coconut oil for its saturated fat content, eggs for the cholesterol content, and kitchen knives for their pointed ends, etc. Where would it end?

[Wulf]

2 hands and the space between your elbow and chest. and forearm. x2. i mean, theoretically, you could carry off 10 if you're careful

and thennn..... diabeetus

lol !

Pthhhhh forget taxing it.. how about just stop subsidizing the sugar & grain industry?

I wish

The only reason I'd like to see soda sales taxed here is that because as it is now, it's a "food" and so it can be bought with food stamps. I honestly don't care what adults do to their bodies, but since children drink a lot of soda, I'd like to see that curbed even just a little.

I understand it's a slippery slope. I want soda in the non-food category, someone else wants coffee categorized non-food, etc. And I know that when all is said and done, sales taxing soda won't help children who have parents that either can't say no, or don't know enough to say no.

indeed. Food Stamps have their place, but it's human nature to take advantage of / abuse any handout you didn't earn yourself; and the system is wide open to abuse and widely being abused. For instance, a lot of ppl use the stamps for food and save any cash they have for the booze and cigs (and other drugs, likely). Or they sell the food stamp card for half cash value to get the cash for the booze and cigs and who knows what, then claim the card was lost and get a new one (very, very common). But definitely soda should be classed as non-food, obviously. When I see an old overweight woman with 6 cases of sugarized coke in her cart and I feel both sad and scared for her.

[JoanieL]

Or they sell the food stamp card for half cash value to get the cash for the booze and cigs and who knows what, then claim the card was lost and get a new one (very, very common).

You might be correct about the first part, but if there's activity on the card you claim you lost, and they catch who's using it, that person will only get a fine - the person who sold the card is knocked off food stamps for two years. It's not very very common.

I'm sorry, but I get a little put off at some generalizations. People who got screwed during the "let's give a mortgage to everyone," people who had their pension funds ransacked, people who worked and paid taxes all their lives and then became disabled or too old to work, people who had parents unable to pay for their education, a 15 year old girl who screws up and has a baby - these are all the people who apparently are scuzzballs for getting handouts. It's just too easy to label people who get foodstamps and other social services as junkies and drunks (who all smoke of course). They are only part of the group the rest of us feed.

It's just too easy to kick people when they're down, while at the same time not paying attention to corporate welfare which probably sucks the middle class much dryer than the poor ever could.

[Wulf]

naw, you just say you lost the card after you got the food. and yes, the abuse is very common, especially in poor states where much of the population is chronically unemployed and continually on food stamps. I don't think we should stop food stamps, yes it can help some legit people, but it does need to be more regulated to reduce abuse. Not being able to buy non-food or unhealthy items would be a start. There are also some states that give way too much money in food stamps benefits, so much so the recipient cannot spend it all, or buys outrageously expensive food and throws parties to get rid of it all. That's just a waste.

[JoanieL]

The maximum benefit is $200/month for a single person household. You obviously don't have a clue.

[Owen]

You are an exception to the rule. (There are over 46million Americans on SNAP, most will never go to college). And, by your own admission you were severely over-charged. I don't want to get into it here either, so in the interest of getting back on topic:

Do you really trust CW doctors to implement public policy? Like I said, this kind of thinking would outlaw coconut oil for its saturated fat content, eggs for the cholesterol content, and kitchen knives for their pointed ends, etc. Where would it end?

Small point on kitchen knives Doctors have objected to them for many many years and have a point IMO. The reason that table knives are rounded is for this very same reason and originates from, I beleive 16th century France where they decided to prevent restaurant goers from stabbing each other. The trend caught on....