Taxing fat does little but tax our intelligence

Even if we were to accept this “burden on the state” argument, what sort of precedent does that set for a government’s ability to tax us? Does it mean that any choice we make that may one day result in the development of diseases which cause us to burden the state’s health system should be taxed? Perhaps then, we should tax women who choose not to have children, since an overwhelming body of medical evidence suggests that women who don’t have children are more likely to develop ovarian, breast and cervical cancer? Why not?

Where does that leave us? People are fat and that’s not nice for them? What a value-laden statement to make! So much for “it’s what’s inside that counts”.

What is the solution? Let us control our own food choices. Don’t use tax to try and create incentives. Leave it up to individuals. They know what’s best, even if they find it difficult to walk past the ice cream shop without stopping for a cone and a scoop.

Tax on food is no solution to a lack of individual discipline.