Soda tax in Washington D.C. is a bad idea, argues professor from George Washington University

In an opinion piece, David Brunori, research professor of public policy at the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at George Washington University, argues that introducing a soft drinks tax in D.C. would not deliver what policy-makers expect.

He underlines that while the measure is set to raise money for the district, there is a risk that “people will increasingly buy their soda in Maryland and Virginia, or they will drink less. Either way, there won’t be much money”.

While acknowledging that such taxes can reduce consumption, he concludes that “there is no evidence that soda taxes have led to better health or even less obesity”.

The full piece is available: https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2019/10/18/viewpoint-why-d-c-s-soda-tax-is-a-bad-idea.html