Tax on sugary drinks a good first step to healthy Hawaii

Jay Maddock

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Feb 11, 2013

~~<p>The Hawaii Legislature is currently considering two bills that would increase the price of sugar-sweetened beverages.</p>
<p>The bill proposed by the governor (Senate Bill 1085) would place a 1-cent-per-ounce fee on all beverages with pre-added caloric sweetener. While Hawaii's doctors and public health researchers have long touted this type of intervention as a necessary component of a comprehensive approach to address obesity, previous attempts to get such a bill through the Legislature have been unsuccessful. This year the tide has turned.</p>
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The Hawaii Legislature is currently considering two bills that would increase the price of sugar-sweetened beverages.

The bill proposed by the governor (Senate Bill 1085) would place a 1-cent-per-ounce fee on all beverages with pre-added caloric sweetener. While Hawaii's doctors and public health researchers have long touted this type of intervention as a necessary component of a comprehensive approach to address obesity, previous attempts to get such a bill through the Legislature have been unsuccessful. This year the tide has turned. Login for more...