Scientists say sugar is as toxic as alcohol – and there should be a drinking age for soda

[The Genealogist]

51. No, this is about legislating what people choose to eat

"To restrict sugar, the researchers start with ideas drawn from existing alcohol and tobacco restrictions. They suggest establishing taxes on "sweetened fizzy drinks (soda), other sugar-sweetened beverages (for example, juice, sports drinks and chocolate milk) and sugared cereal." In addition, they advocate that we reduce the availability of sugar, particularly to children. This restriction would make it more difficult for vending machines to sell sweet drinks and sugary snacks in schools and in workplaces, building on already existing regulations that have removed sodas from some schools. "

So, we see they want to treat sugar like alcohol and tobacco. They want to establish a sin tax on it. They want to limit its availability in work places. This is not simply about leading people to make informed decisions; it is about restricting procurement and otherwise limiting the availability of certain legal products.

Are we to have $5 taxes added to bags of sugar and soft drinks then? Are we to have sugar counties and non-sugar counties? Will there be limits to how much soda and sugar one can transport legally across state lines? Will cities begin passing sugar and non-sugar sections in restaurants, then banning public consumption of sugar, in case a child might see the sugary products being eaten? Juice drinking and driving checkpoints? Expulsions from school for possessing sugar? Will we have the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Sugar department? Of course I am being a bit absurd, but I just wonder how far down the slippery slope of loss of personal freedoms people like those who came out with this study will take us.