Dr James Reilly, Minister for Health of Ireland, announced in last September considering introducing a sugar tax on sugar-sweetened drinks. The European Public Health Alliance welcomes the initiative and strongly encourages the Government to take its initiative forward.
In September 2011, Dr James Reilly, Minister for Health of Ireland, announced he is considering introducing a sugar tax on sugar-sweetened drinks. Ireland is, as many European countries, seriously affected by overweight, obesity and diet-related diseases, with an estimated 180 000 people suffering from diabetes.
Beyond the health impact, there is also an economic perspective to be considered. If current trends persist, it is estimated that the global burden of non-communicable diseases will cost a total lost output of US $47 trillion over the two coming decades [[The Global Economic Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases, World Economic Forum and Harvard
School of Public Health, September 2011]].
Therefore, the European public health community strongly encourages the Irish Government to take its initiative forward as the governments of Denmark, Hungary and recently France have done.
EPHA Open Letter is available here.
——
EPHA related articles
[->art4747]
[->art4691]
[->art3871]
