WHO Wants to Tax Your Cheeseburger?

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Here is the headline on anti-fat activist John Banzhaf's press release about the "Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health" adopted by the World Health Organization on Saturday: "W.H.O. Formally Recommends Taxing Fattening Foods."

Here is what WHO has to say:

Is WHO advocating "fat taxes" or more subsidies?

No. The strategy does not prescribe any specific tax or subsidy, but it notes that several countries have adopted fiscal measures to promote availability of and access to various foods, and to increase or decrease consumption of certain types of food. The strategy notes that public policies can influence prices through several measures including tax policies and subsidies. The text of the Strategy acknowledges that decisions on such policy options are the responsibility of individual Member States, depending upon their particular circumstances.

I'd check the actual text of the WHO resolution, but the link isn't working.