Argumentative Essay: Sin Taxes Are Positive for Society

Governments Should Tax Sin Products Higher In our country, the government has traditionally taxed some goods at a higher rate or at an additional rate. They do this to products called sin products, like cigarettes and alcohol. The government does this as a way to discourage the abuse or over use of these products. Recently, governments have tried to raise taxes on other products like large, sugar-filled soft drinks and junk foods. There has been opposition to raise taxes on soft drinks and snack foods, but it is a good idea.

There is evidence that these taxes can reduce the number of people who purchase these items. Therefore, the added cost can help people be make better choices and be healthier. Sin taxes are something that governments have been doing for hundreds of years. They have existed since the 1600’s in England and started in the United States during colonial times. The government taxes products like alcohol and cigarettes to increase the price and decrease demand. The hope is that the increased cost will stop people from buying the products or cause them to buy less of the product.

Governments especially hope that it will stop kids from buying these products because they are too expensive. If prices are raised on junk foods and sodas, it would cause people to buy less of them. This would be especially true of kids because they have less money to waste. Kids have to rely on their allowances to make purchases and they would think twice before using it to buy expensive snacks. The healthier, lower-priced snacks would be more affordable and encourage kids to make better choices.

The higher cost of cigarettes and alcohol discourage younger people to start using these products and can even cause some existing users to quit. Governments hope that increasing taxes on junk foods will have the same effect. Sin taxes can cause heath care costs to decrease because they force people to stop doing things that hurt their bodies. The tax is a way for the government to encourage us to be healthier people. Sin taxes have always existed in society as a way to discourage bad habits and behaviors. It is logical for the government to want to expand sin taxes rom cigarettes and alcohol to new health threats in our lives, like soft drinks and junk foods. By increasing the cost of these products, governments can cause some current users to stop or lessen the amount of these products that they use. The added tax can also discourage some people from starting to use the products. This can really affect young people because they have a limited disposable income and the higher cost would discourage children from purchasing them. Governments also hope that by raising the costs on certain products that are not healthy, they would be promoting healthier products.

Sin taxes can encourage healthier lifestyles in people and cause medical costs to go down. They have a positive effect on society. Tyler Kelly#17 ASD1/13/13 Outline Governments Should Tax Sin Products Higher Paragraph 1: Introduction: * government traditionally taxed some goods at higher rate * do it to sin products, like cigarettes and alcohol. * does it to discourage abuse or over use * raise taxes on soft drinks and junk foods * opposition to taxes on soft drinks and snack foods, but good idea. evidence taxes reduce people who purchase * added cost help people make better choices and be healthier. Paragraph 2: Body: * something governments doing for hundreds of years * 1600’s in England and started in US in colonial times * government tax alcohol and cigarettes to increase price and decrease demand * hope increased cost stop people from buying or buy less * hope it will stop kids from buying because too expensive * prices raised on junk foods and soda cause people to buy less * kids have less money to waste kids rely on allowances and would think twice before buying expensive snacks * healthier, lower-priced snacks more affordable and encourage better choices. Paragraph 3: Body: * higher cost of cigarettes and alcohol discourage young people start using * cause some existing users to quit * increasing tax on junk foods have same effect * sin taxes cause heath care costs to decrease because force people to stop doing things that hurt bodies. * way for government to encourage us to be healthier

Paragraph 4: Conclusion: * sin taxes always existed as way to discourage bad habits * logical for government to expand sin taxes to soft drinks and junk foods * increasing cost can cause users to stop or lessen use * tax can discourage people from starting to use * affect young because limited income and higher cost would discourage purchasing * raising the costs will promoting healthier products * encourage healthier lifestyles and cause medical costs to go down * positive effect on society