Benefits from sugar-drink taxes are clear

The Cook County Board of Commissioners’ vote today will not change the momentum these common-sense policies have.  Sugar-drink taxes have been successfully implemented in seven jurisdictions across the United States in the last four years.  Evaluations of the first such U.S. tax, in Berkeley, CA, and another from Mexico have shown decreased consumption of sugar drinks and increased consumption of healthy beverages, while providing needed revenues for other public health measures.  Big Soda’s resistance to these policies is not new, but that will not change other communities’ consideration of them.