Experts Debate Sugary Drink Tax.

dean of Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy, and William Shughart II, a professor in public choice at Utah State University’s Jon Huntsman School of Business, take opposing stances on sugary drink taxes. Brownwell likens such taxes to ones implemented successfully to curb smoking, noting that the soda tax in Berkeley is expected to reduce consumption by 15 to 20 percent. In opposition, Shughart argues that numerous studies show that existing taxes are set too low to meaningfully affect consumption behavior. Furthermore, if policymakers decide to set the taxes higher, they will incentivize the creation of a local black market or encourage people to travel to neighboring areas where the tax is not in effect. http://www.wsj.com/articles/should-there-be-a-tax-on-soda-and-other-sugary-drinks-1436757039