I have a better idea than a sugar tax for city council (Gazette, Feb. 10) to think about as it seems that "scientific" evidence is only referenced if it fits one's narrative. Instead of relying on a study based on assumptions why not just look to Mexico where a sugar tax was enacted on soft drinks. The data from that sugar tax is not as rosy as Councillor Wes Brodhead would have you believe.
First off per capita consumption of soft drinks in Mexico was 160L per year (pre-sugar tax). In Canada it is around 70L per capita per year, so keep in mind the benefits of a sugar tax here will not be as high as in Mexico. According to Mexico’s National Institute of Public Health, the per capita consumption of soft drinks went up to 162L and 161L per capita in the two years following the sugar tax. The British Medical Journal also looked at Mexico's sugar tax and estimated that at best the sugar tax reduced consumption by the equivalent of 2 teaspoons of sugar per person a day, or about 32 calories a day. The problem was that soft drinks just got replaced with increased consumption of juices and milk, so the net effect was no effect at lowering obesity rates or cutting consumption of sugar sweetened soft drinks. Economically though, the tax hit the poor the hardest and led to the equivalent of 10,000 jobs being lost.
So here is my recommendation – if St. Albert city council is so inclined to worry about the health of its citizens by supporting more taxes, how about instead of more taxes we cut the number of councillors and use their newly increased salary to pay for family passes to Servus for needy families in the community. For each councillor we get rid of we could give some 45 to 50 families annual passes to the gym, pool, ice-rinks, etc.
Just think of the good we would be doing in keeping our community healthy and the number of calories we could reduce with so many more families getting active. The best part of it all though is it would not cost the already overburdened St. Albert tax payers a penny more than they are already forking out.
Aaron Rhodes, Edmonton
