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‘Sin Tax’ on Sweet Foods Urged

‘Sin Tax’ on Sweet Foods Urged
‘Sin Tax’ on Sweet Foods Urged

The director general of the Social Security Organization’s Research Department called for levying ‘sin tax’ on producers of sweet goods. “Given that the World Health Organization’s slogan for this year is fighting diabetes, the Majlis (parliament) should pass a bill to introduce sin tax for sweet items offered by confectionaries and bakeries,” said Dr. Shahram Ghaffari at the first specialized conference on “the Economics of Diabetes Prevention” in Tehran. Noting that 75% of treatment costs in diabetes can be prevented, Ghaffari said the healthcare system must seriously consider prevention strategies, IRNA reported. A sin tax is specifically levied on certain goods deemed harmful to society, for example tobacco, candies, soft drinks, and fast foods. It usually aims to increase the price in an effort to reduce their use without making the product illegal.

 

Financialtribune.com