Every day we are faced with a range of decisions we need to make – what to wear to work; what to eat for breakfast; whether or not to go to the gym; the list goes on. But these are all decisions we can make for ourselves – without government intervention. Yet, there are many lawmakers and politicians out there who seem to think that they know better than we do about how to live our lives. There is no better example than discriminatory taxes and regulations on what we put in our grocery carts. Of course, these politicians say these efforts will help fight the very complex issue of obesity. But in fact, they are more about limiting people’s choices rather than helping teach them about how to balance the calories they consume throughout the day with what they burn through physical activity and exercise.

Instead of actually tackling the obesity issue, a tax on beverages is a way for lawmakers to limit our choices while trying to fix their budget problems. Why should anyone tax or restrict the foods and beverages we would like to purchase? The government should stay out of our grocery carts and start working on real solutions to the obesity challenge

Here at Sip & Savor, we like to stress the importance of real solutions. After all, we know that the key to maintaining a healthy weight is balancing what you eat and drink with what you do. When we start to work together to focus on exactly that, then we can really start turning the tide on obesity.

To learn more about why soda taxes don’t work, visit YourCartYourChoice.com. And to learn more about how the industry is working on real solutions, visit DeliveringChoices.org.