Most California Voters Support Soda Tax To Boost Students' Health According to Poll February 15, 2013 Advocacy, CMA, News, Public Health AB 1746, soda tax 0 68% of voters said they would support a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages if the revenue boosted school nutrition and physical activity programs, according to a new Field Poll. The poll—conducted on behalf of the California Endowment—surveyed 1,184 registered California voters by telephone in October 2012. According to the poll, 75% of respondents said that regularly drinking sugar-sweetened sodas increases the chance of individuals becoming overweight, while 42% said the same for sugar-sweetened energy drinks, and 26% said the same for sugar-sweetened sports drinks. The SFMS and CMA have been strong advocates on combating child obesity. CMA took a policy position in support of the ban after its House of Delegates approved the resolution submitted by SFMS members Shannon Udovic-Constant, Arti Desai, and Adam Shickedanz introduced the resolution “Marketing of Unhealthy Food and Beverages to Children” at the 2011 HOD. Additionally, CMA sponsored AB 1746, which would ban the sale of sugary sports drinks on middle and high school campuses throughout California. They are currently prohibited on elementary school campuses. Existing education code bans the sale of sodas in schools; this legislation would expand that to include sugary drinks. Click here to read the original SFMS/CMA press release about AB 1746. Source: California Healthline, February 15, 2013. Comments are closed.
