Whether the government should place a higher tax on junk food to reduce consumption is an
issue that has been debated for an extended period of time among citizens. However, such i
deas have to be scrutinized meticulously before a conclusion can be reached. In my opinion
, a relatively developed society benefits from the act, while a poor one might suffer.Firs
t and foremost, in a developed society, people typically have sufficient fund to choose fr
om a variety of food options. To be more specific, citizens have the liberty to make their
decision on everyday food consumption, including but not limited to Chinese, French, and
American cuisines, or even junk food such as pizza and burgers, greatly enhancing their li
fe quality. Therefore, a higher tax on junk food will naturally drive them to other health
ier food options, cutting consumption on substances (saturated fat, excessive salt, and ot
her harmful preservatives) that damages both their physical and even mental health (some s
cientific study has shown that high-calory food has an addictive effect on people, which c
ould cause distraction in study and work). Eventually, the aggregated effect of the act is
a higher level of health in the whole society, promoting both public health and social pr
oductivity.On the other hand, the fact that people in certain poor regions of the world do
not have the right to choose what to eat indicates that they might suffer from higher tax
on junk food. Take the case of the slum in Manilla, the capital city of the Philippines,
for example: residents are left with no option but junk food as it is usually highly-proce
ssed, cheap, and easy to preserve under the humid and hot climate of the area; the high-ca
lory nature of junk food also help the locals to endure the hard labor that they need to h
andle on a daily basis. Manilla is, most unfortunately, simply the representation of the d
ifficulties in survival among tons of poorly-developed regions of the world. Had it not be
en for the low price and easy access of junk food, the residents would not have been able
to survive.While one sees a zero and another sees a circle, I firmly believe that a higher
tax on junk food is only beneficial for a society with adequate economic development