Will an SF Tax on Soda Help People's Health?

After all, sodas are a beverage, but a large Coke can give you hundreds of empty calories. Of course, diet soda isn't bad calorie-wise but it can still leech potassium from your bones.

The legislation focuses on retailers that sell soda, excludes restaurants, and avoids taxing soda directly. Still, it's gathered a lot of venom.

It's obvious, however, that sugar-laced sodas contribute heavily to the obesity, diabetes, and other health woes in American society. Not that's I'd recommend bottled water in its place, however. Water, yes, bottled water, no, based on environmental impact.

It's unfortunate that much like text messaging and driving, people seem unable to make the right choices for their health without legislation. Of course, every time someone wants to do that, it becomes a freedom issue.

In reality this is an issue for all. Those who imbibe in sugary drinks harm the rest of us in terms of medical costs spread across the health insurance industry.

Where have we heard that before? At any rate, something like this is forward thinking, but isn't going to garner much support, you can bet on it.