Unhealthy eating has a negative effect on both individuals and the society in which they live. Some people think that the government should tax unhealthy foods while others believe that a ‘fat tax’ is unfair and unnecessary. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
The scope of the positivity of the pros of healthy eating outweighs the cons. I believe that the government should levy unhealthy foods. A
tax
on junk food
will force people
to make healthier choices. A healthier population will benefit society
. However
, some members of society
will feel discriminated against.
A tax
on unhealthy food
will more than likely cause a person to choose healthier alternatives that are less expensive. For example
, a person may want to eat chips but if they see that the price is more than a bowl of vegetables then
they will be more inclined to purchase the more nutritious food
. People
will then
become healthier and have fewer health problems. Many physical and mental diseases will decrease resulting in an overall
better mood and happier lifestyle.
A healthier general population will benefit society
. As more people
will have fewer diseases then
less tax
money has to be spent to improve an individual’s health. For instance
, hospitals that are overcrowded may have a significant drop in the number of people
that visit them and therefore
there will be more time and resources to help the extremely ill. Moreover
, mental illness will also
improve which can lead to higher productivity and reduced sick days being taken by a worker.
Unfortunately, the part of the public that enjoys unhealthy food
will find a fat tax
unfair. Members of a society
may feel discriminated against and feel that such
a duty is not required. To illustrate, an individual will find that paying more money for less healthy conscience food
will allow them to have less capital to pay for bills, such
as the internet or heating. Nevertheless
, it will benefit their overall
health in the long run.
To summarize, a fat tax
will direct an individual towards better eating habits. A person that eats healthier will feel better about themselves and this
can have a direct correlation with higher productivity. Ergo, the government should tax
unhealthy food
.Submitted by mpaszyn on
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