The American Heart Association recently posted the story, Evidence mounts that sugary drink taxes make communities healthier, positing that such taxes make communities healthier and help fund vital well-being programs such as access to healthy food and early childhood education. Lindsay Hovind, an American Heart Association regional vice president of advocacy, said what’s particularly exciting about the successful implementation of these taxes is that they actually foster two positive health impacts; “One is the tax itself, which by raising the price of sugary drinks drives down consumption,” she said. “But also, it’s generating revenue that can fund critical community needs.”
The story they highlights the successes and benefits of the Philadelphia Beverage Tax (PBT), whose revenue has been used to fund Philadelphia Pre-K (PHLpreK) and several other educational and neighborhood revitalization initiatives . Read here about how they formed a cross-sector coalition to advance their efforts.