Government To Tax Sugary Drinks?
Health Minister, Dr. Christopher Tufton has revealed that consultations are ongoing regarding taxing sugary drinks in Jamaica.
The minister made the disclosure recently in response to a call by several groups in the health sector including the Medical Association, Heart Foundation and the Nurses Association.
Via an open letter, published in local newspapers recently, the groups stated that a tax on sugary drinks should be included in measures to combat what they describe as an obesity epidemic in Jamaica.
Dr. Tufton says the government will consider all the issues and determine the most ideal solution.
A sugary drink tax or soda tax is a tax or surcharge designed to reduce consumption of drinks with added sugar.
Several countries across the world have already implemented such taxes.
Consumption of sugary drinks has long been linked with increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions.
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