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By Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross
San Francisco Chronicle
After banning plastic bags from chain grocery stores and bottled water from City Hall, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has set his sights on soda - working up a plan to charge a new city fee to big retailers of sugar drinks.
"The bottom line is that there is a direct nexus between high-fructose corn syrup drinks like colas and Big Gulps and obesity among schoolkids," Newsom said Friday.
The idea of taxing soda to combat obesity - which is being touted as the first in the nation - has been roiling around in health circles for some time, including backing from the American Medical Association.
In San Francisco, Newsom said a recent Health Department survey found that 24 percent of fifth-, seventh- and ninth-graders were overweight and that high-sugar drinks accounted for 10 percent of the kids’ caloric intake.
All in all, he said obesity accounts for tens of millions of dollars of the city’s health costs.
Now Newsom wants the soda sellers - primarily big-box retailers and chain drugstores - to chip in for his "Shape Up San Francisco" program and for media campaigns to discourage the soda habit.
The size of the fee (it won’t be billed as a tax) is being worked out, but it may include a sweetener - namely giving the stores some other kind of fee break.
But one way or the other, Newsom wants the merchants of sweet to sweat a bit.
By the way, Newsom said he has no plans for a Twinkies or Ho Hos tax.
- : 5.5
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December 18th, 2007 at 8:39 am
my friend tina is now insulin dependent from the excess intake of sugars - every time she eats anything, she now has to inject insulin with a needle…also, did you know excess consumption of carbonated soda (cola, beer, ect) can eventually cause renal failure? - www.likroper.com
January 24th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Get Real Mayor Newsom!
I just recently visited your beautiful city and I could not believe what a beautiful and breathtaking city you have….until went to union square! You are worried about soft drinks corrupting children, but you have so many homeless people wandering the streets and eating out of the garbage cans. I was so heartbroken by this scene. At the moment I first saw the man eating out of the garbage on your street was the moment your city was not so pretty anymore. What are you doing for the homeless people? Forget about fat children and them drinking sodas. Who cares? That is the worry of their parents not you. Your plate should be full of other worries. P.S. I live in a town that was affected by hurricane Katrina and I have not seen as many homeless and hungary people in my life.
Brandy Moore
Biloxi Mississippi