Tax on sugary drinks a healthy boost for kids

The Sun’s editorial, “Tax on soda crucial to children’s health” (March 25), hits on several good points in explaining why a sugary drink tax could work in states or local jurisdictions. Detractors have characterized a potential tax as a “quick-fix solution to obesity.” They need to take a deeper dive into the proven public health interventions to understand how such a measure could help the community on a much broader scope.

As Maryland continues to grapple with how to pay for education reform, a sugary drink tax would be a win-win for both health and education. Revenue generated from a successful program could help fund quality, affordable Pre-K and after-school programs that can help close opportunity gaps so children can be on par with their peers before they enter kindergarten. Without funding, these programs have proven to be expensive and leave children without opportunities that would put them on the right path to a healthy, productive future.

Every day in my northeast Baltimore clinic, I see the consequences that sugary drinks have on the lives of our city’s children. Just recently, I saw a 6-month-old girl who has been drinking soda out of a bottle. This puts her at a weight that is heavier than 99 percent of children her age. Given that most sugary drinks have more sugar than should be consumed in a whole day, she is in position to suffer a lifetime of health problems.

One of the great fears of adopting a sugary drink tax is that it could be “regressive” for our residents. What’s truly “regressive” to families are chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease, which disproportionately impact communities of color. A drop in sugary drink consumption leads to less diabetes, less heart disease and fewer cavities. Sugary drink taxes work to improve the health of all our families.

It has been claimed that a sugary drink tax could lead to a drop in employment opportunities. However, recent studies showed that unemployment is no worse in Philadelphia compared to neighboring counties for supermarkets, soft drink manufacturers, across other potentially affected industries or across all industries following implementation of its beverage tax.

Studies have shown that after Mexico and Berkeley, Calif. implemented sugary drink taxes, consumers have shifted what they buy from unhealthy drinks to healthier drinks including water. By putting a greater focus to their better beverages, these beverage companies can continue to thrive.

Chronic disease and early childhood education gaps are problems that exist not just in Maryland, but across our country. A sugary drink tax could simultaneously ease the burden for these children and their families, putting them on path to a longer, healthier and more productive life.

Dr. Richard Bruno, Baltimore

The writer, a family physician, is chair of the public health committee of The Maryland State Medical Society and a board member of Sugar Free Kids Maryland.