Should we slap on a Fat Tax for Obesity just as we have with Tobacco?

Question

Obesity is a killer, causing folks to have diabetes, strokes and heart attacks. Cigarettes also kill, thus we have taxed them to very high prices, thus discouraging folks from smoking. Should we start by having Fat Sections in Restaurants, or perhaps insisting that Fatties gobble their calorie-high foods outside on the curb, 100 feet from the doorway, thus taking them from the sight of slimmer, healthier folks? Should we give obese people the same treatment we have given cigarette smokers, with similar laws for eating fatty foods? Would this cut down on obesity? Would it save lives? Would it relieve the high cost of treating these people for strokes, heart attacks, diabetes and other diseases ? Or is it any of our business what anyone does with his or her life?

Answer 1

Then we need a 'stupid kids drinking tax' as they kill people and get pregnant with kids that we have to pay for.
And an 'anorexia tax' as they have heart attacks and die and use valuable hospital resources.
And a 'bulimia tax' as they eat lots of high calorie food s and barf it up and the acid erodes their teeth and the puking and laxatives cause heart disease and they use up valuable hospital resources.
And a druggie tax for the potheads who increase their psychosis and use up valuable resources
And a druggie tax for the coke heads who have heart attacks, or OD.
And a meth tax on all the former methheads who now have health problems.
And a smart Alec tax for people like you who use up hospital resources when someone beats them up for calling other human beings fatties.

Answer 2

No they should not be forced to pay a "fat tax" If so then everyone should be obligated to pay this tax. There are some people who are average weight or underweight and because of their very fast metabolism their eating patterns are not physically displayed. It sounds pretty hypocritical and judgmental. We all love to eat as humans and Americans. I feel that everyone should be discouraged from eating unhealthy and encouraged to eat healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables and salads etc. I also feel that maybe if people are so "concerned" then they should stop selling junk food and snacks at their stores. But we live in a capitalist society and people will try to make a profit off the simplest things. It's just obvious if corporations and individuals truly cared about obese and overweight people's well being then then they would try to help them. If people are hungry or greedy (what ever you call it) they are going to buy food where there is an increased tax on it or NOT. Yes obesity is a disease and is the number one cause for diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol etc. But it can be reversed if corporations work with individuals to reverse if. If they stopped selling donuts, ice cream, chips and candy we would have no reason to complain anymore. But then all individuals overweight and of weight wouldn't like this idea :(. We all like to eat a little dessert here and now. Hope this helped.

Answer 3

Hmmmmmm.....I think you'd have a hard time determining where to draw the line. With tobacco it's easy.....you either smoke or you don't. But with obesity, what is the measure? And who does the measuring? And how do you police it, and who does the policing? It's not just "eating out" that you'd have to police......how about the food that's consumed at home? So how do you tax fatty food......by the calorie content, by the fat content, by the carbohydrate content? And what about people who just eat too much of good food and get fat? How do you make them pay? Yes, obesity is a killer, but so is lack of exercise, stress, unresolved anger, overwork....so in fairness, how do we tax those?

Is it any of our business what anyone does with his/her life? Yes, and no. Yes, because no (wo)man is an island.....we are all affected by what others do or don't do. No, because we have freedom of choice in this country. It's a fine line and one we probably can't touch without opening a whole new can of worms.

Answer 4

That is a silly question. Obese people and skinny people both smoke as well as eat fatty foods. Obesity is not always caused by overeating. Maybe we ought to think more about
what chemicals were put in tobacco and are being put in our foods to cause us to crave them. Maybe we ought to make the food companies become more responsible as we have the tobacco companies for the health problems they are causing. At least, I can sit by an obese person and not have
to inhale their food like I have to inhale the second-hand smoke from a smoker. I've seen slim so-called healthy people die from heart attacks. Aren't you being too judgmental? Sounds like you need help dealing with your anger about obese people. Why don't you find a more productive way to help them?

Answer 5

First, they should begin taxing judgemental conclusions. They should pass legislation that taxes staring, finger pointing and name calling. I also think that there should be an ignorance tax on people who think that they are better or supreme. But, hey, that's just my narrow minded opinion.

Oh, BTW, slimmer "healthier looking" folks have dropped dead from heart attacks. They can get diabetes and other diseases. Skinny people can be in poor health and shouldn't be embraced as being healthy.

Answer 6

Unsure if this truly answers your question but it's just my opinion. Since I was a teen I never understood why cigarettes were taxed more. Supposedly because they are a luxury item. Well so is candy and gum. On the other hand I do not think people should be punished for being obese, as their are others that also drain our healthcare system. People who do not do what their docs advise, those who are alcoholics and drug abusers, etc.

Answer 7

no all things should be taxed equally,( INLCUDING TOBACCO) if not we could do all kinds of crazy things, like taxing motorcycles higher because its dangerous if you wreck, taxing young people more because they usally do more stupid things that result in health problems or injurys, and there's many more things people could think of........ it would make more sense to just be fair to everyone. Maybe we should instead work to change our healthcare system where people pay more for their own care instead of relying on others.

Answer 8

absolutely!!! we're going to have to do something when everyone who smokes either dies or quits smoking. why not pick on another class of dieing folks.

Answer 9

if there is a fat tax then I think restaurants, cookie makers and anything else should also be held liable.

Answer 10

I think that you have an excellent idea. After all, it's hardly fair and equitable that we smokers are singled out for 'cruel and unusual' treatment ☺

Doug