Advertisement

You want to tax what???

Share

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

A Scottish physician has a radical proposal for fighting obesity in the U.K.: A tax on chocolate.

Dr. David Walker, a general practitioner from the town of Airdrie, said the candy has become a harmful addiction for too many of his countrymen and is contributing to rising levels of obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Subjecting chocolate to a ‘sin tax’ -- as is done for alcohol and cigarettes -- would help return it to its rightful status as an occasional treat instead of a daily indulgence, he told BBC News.

Advertisement

His proposal was debated today at a medical conference in Glasgow. To the relief of chocolate lovers, it failed by two votes, according to the British Medical Assn.

‘I am disappointed that the motion was not supported by conference,’ Dr. Walker said in a statement. ‘However, I am pleased that it has stimulated debate on obesity and the worryingly high levels of diabetes in Scotland.’

Walker, who is also a nutritionist and food scientist, told the BBC that he was prompted to act because his patients needed to be reminded that chocolate is a junk food.

‘I had one patient recently who said to me she thought chocolate was good for you,’ he said. ‘People are being brainwashed into believing this.’

-- Karen Kaplan

Advertisement