BOSTON — Lawmakers on Beacon Hill are joining activists in other states pushing for taxes on sodas that they say will ease the rise in obesity-related diseases and bring in money for programs aimed at improving the health of children in Massachusetts.
Supporters of the tax say that too many children and families in Massachusetts are suffering from chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer and tooth decay.
They say that the single largest source of added sugar in the American diet comes from sugary drinks and cutting down the intake of sugar could ease some of those health concerns.
“The goal of this legislation is to reduce the consumption of sugary drinks replacing it with water and other healthier beverage choices, particularly among children and teenagers,” said Democratic state Sen. Jason Lewis, one of the sponsors of the legislation.
The bill would set up a tiered tax rate based on the amount of added sugar per 12 fluid ounces of a drink over 5 grams.
Beverages with between 5 and 19 grams of sugar per 12 fluid ounces would be taxed at one cent per ounce. Beverages with 20 or more grams per 12 fluid ounces would be taxed at 2 cents per ounce.
A 12-ounce can of Mountain Dew, for example, contains 46 grams of sugar and would cost an extra 24 cents under the bill.
