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Taxing sugar

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245

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    #32
    bcmf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,679 ✭✭✭bcmf


    How about instead of taxing the living sh1te outta everything we re-open the sugar beet factories that were closed.
    The we get some jobs, both direct and indirect, and start to stimulate local communites.


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    #33
    JOSman
    Registered Users Posts: 500 ✭✭✭JOSman


    Why don't we just tax everything? Another problem solved.


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    #34
    bcmf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,679 ✭✭✭bcmf


    we do.


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    #35
    chucken1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,761 ✭✭✭chucken1


    whiteonion wrote: »
    If you don't want to introduce a tax on sugar can we at least agree that people who recieve unemployment assistance and such things should not be allowed to spend tax payers money on unhealthy products?

    We can introduce a system of food stamps where all unhealthy products are excluded and cannot be bought with food stamps.

    What kind of absolute twaddle is that?


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    #36
    the groutch
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,096 ✭✭✭✭the groutch


    it should be a tax on anything with more than 10% saturated fat


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    #37
    ei.sdraob
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,376 ✭✭✭ei.sdraob


    I propose removing tax credits from anyone who proposes more taxes.


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    #38
    the groutch
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,096 ✭✭✭✭the groutch


    I propose double-taxing anyone who moans about taxes ;)


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    #39
    whiteonion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 837 ✭✭✭whiteonion


    the groutch wrote: »
    it should be a tax on anything with more than 10% saturated fat
    Saturated fat is good for you. Why should we tax saturated fat?
    Now industrial made TRANSFATS are bad.


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    #40
    Bottle_of_Smoke
    Registered Users Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭Bottle_of_Smoke


    the groutch wrote: »
    it should be a tax on anything with more than 10% saturated fat

    nah there's healthy stuff like nuts that would affect


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    #41
    tenchi-fan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,339 ✭✭✭tenchi-fan


    If sugar is taxed, it will drive up prices for people or encourage manufacturers to use more artificial sweetners and emulsifiers. yum yum


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    #42
    Bottle_of_Smoke
    Registered Users Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭Bottle_of_Smoke


    tenchi-fan wrote: »
    If sugar is taxed, it will drive up prices for people or encourage manufacturers to use more artificial sweetners and emulsifiers. yum yum

    Yes. And it will work really well because as we all know everyone who drinks diet coke is slim :D


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    #43
    deise go deo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,677 ✭✭✭deise go deo


    whiteonion wrote: »
    Would you prefer living i a country where they are allowed to market Redbull as a vitamin drink and fooling gullible people into thinking it's healthy?

    No one thinks red bull is healthy, If they do then sugar is the least of their problems.


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    #44
    later12
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,299 ✭✭✭✭later12


    No offence to the OP at all, but this seems like the sort of taxation solution a dietician would probably come up with.

    I would tentatively suggest that it would be useless from a health point of view, since most of the sugar that people consume is probably stealth sugar in manufactured food products. And from a taxation point of view it wouldn't be much of a revenue boost. However it could contribute to a rise in inflation.


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    #45
    johngalway
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,271 ✭✭✭✭johngalway


    bcmf wrote: »
    How about instead of taxing the living sh1te outta everything we re-open the sugar beet factories that were closed.
    The we get some jobs, both direct and indirect, and start to stimulate local communites.

    Yep, just the point I was going to make!


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    #46
    RichieC
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,334 ✭✭✭RichieC


    Ah how I love nanny state advocates! :pac:


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    #47
    pajor
    Registered Users Posts: 3,572 ✭✭✭pajor


    After reading through this thread, I feel like I'm going to soon expire.

    Just back form tesco having bought an 89c bag of sugar :D


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    #48
    Absurdum
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,445 ✭✭✭Absurdum


    Since my other post here was deleted by someone who obviously has no sense of humour and/or who completely missed the point, banning/mega-taxation of sugar or any everyday product creates a vacuum which is quickly filled by the black market.


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    #49
    yermanoffthetv
    Registered Users Posts: 625 ✭✭✭yermanoffthetv


    whiteonion wrote: »
    If you don't want to introduce a tax on sugar can we at least agree that people who recieve unemployment assistance and such things should not be allowed to spend tax payers money on unhealthy products?

    We can introduce a system of food stamps where all unhealthy products are excluded and cannot be bought with food stamps.

    Ok now thats just trolling for a reaction :rolleyes: You can toddle on back to the soviet union if you are being serious comrade. I would argue that they should teach all kids how to cook decent food/healthy diet etc in schools. I know they have home-ec but that has 1950's houswife connotations for most boys in secondary. Relable it "life skills" or something. The ammount of people who go through college not haveing a clue even how to boil a spud and live off takeaways a readymeals is frightening. That would go alot further in lowering obesety than your draconian "solutions".


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    #50
    Bottle_of_Smoke
    Registered Users Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭Bottle_of_Smoke


    I think a possible (if radical) way of reducing overweight/obesity would be to offer a % tax refund(or bonus if on the dole/student/low earner) for people who can squat/deadlift their own weight for 8 reps. Free health insurance too

    If you are a healthy bodyweight this can easily be achieved after a few weeks of resistance training. Maybe a lower percentage of bodyweight for women and people over 55.

    If it worked and people took part to save money there could be savings made on drug costs for type 2 diabetics/heart problem related drugs. Plus a lot of freed up hospital beds/frontline medical staff.

    State gyms would have to be set up for people who can't afford it of course. Though these places could double as testing centres. You'd register and then be told - ''at some point in the coming year you will have to come in and lift the weight with perfect form under supervision of a fitness instructor''


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    #51
    chucken1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,761 ✭✭✭chucken1


    Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »
    I think a possible (if radical) way of reducing overweight/obesity would be to offer a % tax refund(or bonus if on the dole/student/low earner) for people who can squat/deadlift their own weight for 8 reps. Free health insurance too

    If you are a healthy bodyweight this can easily be achieved after a few weeks of resistance training. Maybe a lower percentage of bodyweight for women and people over 55.

    If it worked and people took part to save money there could be savings made on drug costs for type 2 diabetics/heart problem related drugs. Plus a lot of freed up hospital beds/frontline medical staff.

    State gyms would have to be set up for people who can't afford it of course. Though these places could double as testing centres. You'd register and then be told - ''at some point in the coming year you will have to come in and lift the weight with perfect form under supervision of a fitness instructor''

    Do you know that a heart patient should never lift anything they cant move with their foot?


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    #52
    Bottle_of_Smoke
    Registered Users Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭Bottle_of_Smoke


    chucken1 wrote: »
    Do you know that a heart patient should never lift anything they cant move with their foot?

    it would be long term thing - so people not overweight and therefore less likely to develop a heat problem. I'm not suggesting setting up squat racks in the cardiac ward.


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    #53
    chucken1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,761 ✭✭✭chucken1


    Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »
    it would be long term thing - so people not overweight and therefore less likely to develop a heat problem. I'm not suggesting setting up squat racks in the cardiac ward.

    You really have no clue of heart conditions do you??

    Only overweight people have heart conditions is it??

    I cant believe this thread is still here!! In Politics?!


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    #54
    Bottle_of_Smoke
    Registered Users Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭Bottle_of_Smoke


    chucken1 wrote: »
    You really have no clue of heart conditions do you??

    Only overweight people have heart conditions is it??

    I cant believe this thread is still here!! In Politics?!

    Take a deep breath and stop being so rude. It wouldn't solve all heart conditions - note i never suggested it would - but as you well know obesity contributes to some cardiovascular problems - therefore less people in hospital long or even medium term


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    #55
    bcmf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,679 ✭✭✭bcmf


    Absurdum wrote: »
    Since my other post here was deleted by someone
    Glad to see I wasnt the only one.
    And as been stated before...I cant believe this thread is still open AND in Politics


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    #56
    Bottle_of_Smoke
    Registered Users Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭Bottle_of_Smoke


    bcmf wrote: »
    Glad to see I wasnt the only one.
    And as been stated before...I cant believe this thread is still open AND in Politics

    23.5% of Irish people are obese - second in the EU only to the UK at 25% and many more are overweight. It is a national disgrace and costing the state a fortune - therefore a political issue


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    #57
    silverharp
    Registered Users Posts: 17,848 ✭✭✭✭silverharp


    food is a big political issue becasue government here and elsewhere direct money at the industry and give out food diet advice. As for OP , sugar is bad for most people but tax is not the way to go. hard to know where to start as 40 years of EU subsidies and a food pyramid which looks more like a supermarket advert most likey created the obesity problem we have today.
    All I can say is that if the bank regulators were too cosy with the banks, it follows that the dept of agriculture and Health has cosied up to the food industry. What does the food indusrty want, for you to overeat and buy more of their junk, the government is just there to make sure its legal :pac:

    A belief in gender identity involves a level of faith as there is nothing tangible to prove its existence which, as something divorced from the physical body, is similar to the idea of a soul. - Colette Colfer



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    #58
    slimjimmc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,787 ✭✭✭slimjimmc


    whiteonion wrote: »
    Saturated fat is good for you. Why should we tax saturated fat?
    Now industrial made TRANSFATS are bad.

    Sugar is good for you too. Why should we tax sugar?

    The problem is excessive consumption:

    Excessive consumption of saturated fat can have serious effects (cardiovascular)
    Excessive consumption of sugar can have serious effects (diabetes)
    Excessive consumption of protein can have serious effects (liver problems, calcium depletion)
    Excessive consumption of water can have serious effects (loss of electrolytes, brain dysfunction)

    It's about having a balanced diet, everything in moderation, nothing to excess.

    Though I'd be very much in favour of public education into the risks of excessive eating or highly restricted diets.


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    #59
    mikemac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,986 ✭✭✭✭mikemac


    I think it was posted already but corn fructose syrup is widely available and is huge in the USA.

    Tax sugar and you just increase business for this and fructose is no more healthy. Think it through OP


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    #60
    whiteonion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 837 ✭✭✭whiteonion


    slimjimmc wrote: »
    Sugar is good for you too. Why should we tax sugar?

    The problem is excessive consumption:

    Excessive consumption of saturated fat can have serious effects (cardiovascular)
    Excessive consumption of sugar can have serious effects (diabetes)
    Excessive consumption of protein can have serious effects (liver problems, calcium depletion)
    Excessive consumption of water can have serious effects (loss of electrolytes, brain dysfunction)

    It's about having a balanced diet, everything in moderation, nothing to excess.

    Though I'd be very much in favour of public education into the risks of excessive eating or highly restricted diets.
    I never met anyone who had health problems due to saturated fat, I have met plenty of people who have health problems due to the fact that they eat plenty of sugar and starch.

    Carbohydrates are not essential nutrients in humans. We don't need carbs to survive, just like we don't need alcohol to survive.


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    #61
    Bottle_of_Smoke
    Registered Users Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭Bottle_of_Smoke


    whiteonion wrote: »
    I never met anyone who had health problems due to saturated fat, I have met plenty of people who have health problems due to the fact that they eat plenty of sugar and starch.

    Carbohydrates are not essential nutrients in humans. We don't need carbs to survive, just like we don't need alcohol to survive.

    How exactly do you have such a extensive knowledge of people's diets?

    Oh and dietary patterns are near impossible to gauge correctly because people lie. They nearly always understate the bad things they eat and overstate the healthy things they eat.

    Carbohydrates are essential for me. There's no way I could afford to get the calories I need from protein and fats alone. Even if I could it would be difficult due to how filling protein and fats are. Milk is one of the best foods you can consume for muscle building and it is full of carbs.

    Any sportsperson will tell you the same - they shouldn't have to pay more because others can't control their food intake.


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