American children drink a lot of soda and it’s leading to all kinds of health issues say, pediatricians, who are calling on lawmakers to institute new taxes to help kids kick the habit. The American Academy of Pediatrics, along with the American Heart Association issued a joint statement on Monday, pointing out, “These sweetened drinks pose real — and preventable — risks to our children’s health, including tooth decay, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.” While cities such as Berkeley, California, and Philadelphia have put taxes in place to curb sugar consumption, this is the first time the AAP asks for others to do the same. “We need broad public policy solutions to reduce children’s access to cheap sugary drinks,” the statement adds.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association are asking local, state, and federal policymakers to consider ways to curb sugar consumption, including taxing sugary beverages. #publichealth #publichealthlaw https://t.co/v87k3vdTPi
— Public Health Law (@networkforphl) March 25, 2019