Should Sugar Be Regulated?

This article includes for detail from the side suggesting regulation and taxation of sugar. Laura Schmidt said that they are "talking about gentle ways to make sugar consumption slightly less convenient, thereby moving people away from concentrated dose." She also said that she wanted to make other, healthier foods, easier and cheaper to get in comparison. France, Greece, and Denmark all have taxes on soda, and 20 cities in the United States are looking to follow their lead. Some conclude that "the regulation of sugar is difficult [because] many consider it a necessary vice." There are "cultural and celebratory aspects of sugar," and "changing these patterns is very complicated" said Clair Brindis.

http://marcussamuelsson.com/news/should-sugar-be-regulated

Should We Regulate Sugar Like Alcohol or Tobacco?

Art Carden, an economist, is against regulating the sugar in the same way that we regulate alcohol and tobacco. He feels that the declaration that "chronic non-communicable diseases... pose a greater health burden... than do infectious diseases" is misleading because it is actually a "testimony to our ability to treat infectious diseases" and that we are not living long enough to get these diseases. This can be applied to rising cancer rates as well because a larger percentage of the population is now living long enough to get cancer, making it more of an issue. Carden also feels that instead of the government being able to spend less money to care for people with metabolic syndrome (from eating too much sugar) if there was a regulation, people should instead take responsibility for their eating habits, and in turn, any health-related illness that this creates. If the government does not pay to treat these people, the hope is that people will have more incentive to be healthy. Another point that is brought up is the expense that it takes to regulate alcohol and tobacco. To try to enforce any kind of similar regulations on sugar would cost a ton of money and would be unrealistic. Lastly, Carden feels that people will simply "find ways around restrictions on sugar," and it is therefore not worth the time and money.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/artcarden/2012/02/02/should-we-regulate-sugar-like-alcohol-or-tobacco/