Friday 13 March 2009

Obesity And Chocolate Tax

Here's a sign of the times.

Between 2004 and 2008, Fire Departments in England where called out 1784 times ... to help move seriously obese people!

Turns out a special 27 stone (378 lbs) dummy has been custom built for training specific to this purpose. There are also reinforced beds designed to support people weighing up to 42 stone (588 lbs) available to those in the need. This is putting strain on existing resources (I'll bet).

And only yesterday on BBC Breakfast a report covered the opinion of a Scottish doctor who has suggested that the government tax chocolate. The logic behind this is that people would think twice and view chocolate as a "treat" instead of a daily habit. Apparently we have been guzzling 10kg per person, per year ... and that's just in the UK.

Do we really need a tax to get the message that excess chocolate consumption is a destructive habit? I suspect such a move will be about as effective a deterrant as the tax on booze.

But it sure would raise enough to bail out another bank!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You can't legislate against stupidity!

Anonymous said...

I agree Jan ... but they can try.

L. Venkata Subramaniam said...

Interesting article. However, chocolate is not the main culprit. I think our lifestyles are.

Even assuming that chocolate is the main reason. What happens to those who eat chocolates in moderation? Should they also pay? I can understand higher taxes on cigarettes because they are harmful. But with chocolates I dont think it can be classified as harmful.

Clara said...

Well, if the UK starts taxing chocolate, I won't be coming 'across the pond' to visit anytime soon. How does one live without chocolate? Especially that wonderful dark, dark chocolate that's reported to be good for us?