A tax on a tasty treat?

By Talking Heads on Mar 19, 09 12:39 PM in

A tax on chocolate has been proposed - would it be a positive step in the health direction or just another stealth tax...

IT is a dark and delectable seduction but chocolate is under attack.

David Walker, a family doctor from Airdrie, thinks it's a good idea to tax the tasty treat to save us all from obesity.

Tax fags - fair enough. Drink - well, it's not ideal, but OK. However, tax chocolate and the government may have are volt on its hands.

Chocolate, eaten in sensible amounts, is beneficial. Okay, so our waist lines might argue against that, but the odd bar here or there lifts the spirits in these credit Crunchie times.

Does any one really think taxing a Twix is going to stop people stuffing themselves into an early grave.

If you made chocolate more expensive, the same people would move on to other high fat foods like cakes and takeaways.

Some one who eats themselves silly isn't going to stop because the Bounty they enjoy jumps from 50p to £1, they'll just replace it with something else.

Thankfully, Dr Walker's idea was voted down - by just two votes mind - at a recent conference of GPs.

And just as well too. Choco bar bootleggers were on stand-by to sell Yorkies off the back of a lorry.

This week, your sweet-toothed Glaswegian reporter ventured out on the streets to ask our readers if taxing our Topics and Toblerones would be a good idea.

Here's what they said.

"It's totally ridiculous. Taxing beer or cigarettes doesn't stop people drinking or smoking, so taxing chocolate isn't going to stop people eating it. People will still buy it."

Student and Galaxy Hazelnut fan Kirsten McKenzie, 28, from Kelvindale, thinks it's a crazy idea.

"I think it's daft. People will still buy chocolate anyway, no matter how expensive it is. If it ever happened, it would have no baring on obesity."

Retired David Foy, 55, from Partick, is more of a Fruit and Nut man.

"To be honest I don't think taxing chocolate would make any difference.
"Taxing alcohol didn't work, so it certainly won't stop people enjoying chocolate."

Student and Galaxy fan Daniel Jones, 25, from Partick,

"I don't think taxing chocolate would help at all, it seems bizarre, but something does need to be done about obesity levels in Scotland."

Homeless worker and Galaxy fan Jackie Halliday,33, from the westend

"Taxing chocolate is a bit much. I love chocolate, particularly Galaxy Caramel, but if this ever happened it would just be another way for the government to make more money in tax."

Alan Kerr, 18, from Partick, also thinks taxing chocolate won't work.

" I think it would be a ggod idea. Look what chocolate does to us. Every second person you see is overweight.
"We have a problem with obesity in Scotland, anything that helps is worth a try."

West End Fruit and Veg owner Harry McConville, 47