A Penny-Per-Ounce Tax on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Would Cut Health and Cost Burdens of Diabetes

January 1, 2012 | Journal Article

When we drink sugar-sweetened beverages, research strongly suggests we increase our risk of heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and premature death. We can prevent unnecessary, potentially life-threatening conditions—and help avoid billions of dollars in medical costs over a decade—by enacting a penny-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, this study finds.