A tax in Philadelphia intended to reduce consumption of sugary drinks is working, according to a public health expert who presented her findings at a national conference centered on interventions to reduce obesity.
Sugar sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes – aimed at fighting the nation’s obesity epidemic - have been gaining momentum since Berkeley, California passed the nation’s first SSB tax in 2014. Philadelphia followed suit in 2016 and six new SSB laws have passed across the U.S., although some states, like Michigan, have enacted laws preventing municipalities from passing SSB taxes, saying they would have an adverse effect on businesses.