Sweet Suffering Hell

GOVERNMENT health experts have ruled out banning fizzy drink vending machines in schools because they are making too much money. Instead they are recommending increased taxes on fizzy drinks in a bid to reduce consumption. ... Having ruled out banning the vending machines, the special group has suggested making sugary drinks more expensive by piling on extra taxes in the next Budget. The cost of a regular soft drink could increase by as much as 7pc.

So sugar is bad and should be taxed.

Sugar companies were among the largest beneficiaries last year of Europe's Common Agricultural Policy payments, according to statistics made public Saturday by most EU member countries. In France, in the year between October 2008 and 2009, three sugar companies received the top subsidies: Tereos (117.9 million euros/156.8 million dollars), Saint Louis Sucre (143.7 million euros) and Cristal Union (57.2 million euros). In Spain a sugar company also occupied first place, with Azucarera Ebro receiving 119.4 million euros. The world's leading sugar company Sudzucker came second in Germany's list with its 42.9 million euro subsidy, behind the dairy company Nordmilch (51,1 million euros).

So sugar is good and should be subsidised. Penn and Teller summed up the problem with "They spend our money to make soft drinks cheap. And now the same government wants more of our tax money to make soft drinks more expensive. Does anyone else think this is incredibly fucked up?"