Soda Tax

A current push to add a "penny-per-ounce" tax on soda is seen as a way to decrease the amount of soda consumption in the US. Its funding would go toward improving school lunches and toward health care as well.
Increases in soda consumption are the most correlated with increases in obesity rates. What's more, this habit has also increased diabetes and cardiovascular disease rates among Americans.
The goal of this tax is to reduce the gallon-of-soda-a-week habit that the average American has, however CocaCola and PepsiCo have strong lobbyists that are working to reduce the tax or do away with it all together.

I think its about time we start taxing soda, because its negative effects are clear and disproportionately affect the poor. Considering all of the behavioral campaigns that have attempted to curve soda consumption, we now need something more substantial to lessen the consumption and effects of this sugary drink.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/19/business/economy/19leonhardt.html