National Geographic ARTICLE: Pop Cultures

This just supports my argument:

"Refrescos in Spanish, mashroob ghazi in Arabic, kele in Chinese: The world has many words, and an unslakable thirst, for carbonated soft drinks. Since 1997 per capita consumption has nearly doubled in eastern Europe. In 2008 Coca-Cola tallied soda sales in some 200 countries. Even the global recession, says industry monitor Zenith International, has merely caused manufacturers to lean on promotional offers and try cheap social networking ads.

But some are sour on all this sweetness. U.S. obesity expert David Ludwig calls aggressive marketing in emerging nations-where people tend to eat more and move less as they prosper-'deeply irresponsible. That's the time of greatest risk for heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.'

As that thinking catches on, places including New York and Romania are mulling levies on sugared drinks. Others are arguing that taxing a single product isn't the fix; promoting healthy lifestyles and zero-calorie drinks is. Fizz for thought?" -Jeremy Berlin

Go, Jeremy!

There is just one issue; the diet soft drinks are all chemicals, nothing healthy there, either. Let's tax all soft drinks, or steer people away from them. Personally, I view soda much as I do tobacco - purely unhealthy.