SASKATOON – The Canadian Diabetes Association is calling on all federal parties to commit to a tax on all sugar sweetened beverages, saying there is a clear connection between a high consumption of these drinks and Type 2 diabetes.
“We know that diabetes will cost our health-care system and economy $14 billion in 2015, and $17.5 billion annually by 2025,” says Dr. Jan Hux, chief science officer at the CDA. “Canadians can’t wait any longer. Unless we take action now, diabetes threatens not only more Canadians, but also the viability of our health-care system and our economic prosperity.”
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This would in no way be the first tax on soft drinks; countries such as Mexico, Hungary and France already have a similar tax. Since Mexico added a 10 per cent sales-tax on soft-drinks in 2014 they have seen consumption drop 6 per cent.
More than 10 million Canadians are currently living with diabetes or prediabetes. So far no federal party leaders have came out in support of the proposal.
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