BEHIND the soda-tax debate is a much bigger (and more shameful) issue – our city’s embrace of pushing non-nutritious, sugar-drenched soda products disproportionately on poor black children. One of the arguments put forth by the soda industry against additional taxes is that being forced to pay more for soda is somehow a “burden” to people living in low-income inner-city Philadelphia. It’s like saying anything other than keeping the price of crack down is unfair to poor Philadelphians because they have less money than others with which to buy it. Here’s a news flash for elected officials, business leaders and community members who’ve rushed to the defense of soda sales: Soda has NO nutritional value. Soda has a negative effect on tooth enamel. The sugar in soda contributes to diabetes and obesity, which disproportionately affect poor black communities. Read more…
