A recent health study has shown that a large majority of Southern California residents support limiting junk food advertising and support a tax on soda pop.
According to Reuters, the study, done by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, revealed that most Southern Californians would like to see sugary drinks taxed in an effort to fight obesity.
Paul Simon, head of chronic disease prevention for the county, authored the study that was released on Thursday.
Simon said that the study concluded that two-thirds of residents in LA County surveyed in a broad 2011 assessment of public attitudes toward health issues, said they supported a soda tax. Furthermore, the study found that three-quarters favored limiting junk food advertising.
Opponents of a soda tax have said that the poor would suffer as a result if they had to pay more.
ABC6 noted that such restrictions on sugary drinks have met quite a bit of resistance over the years particularly in Illinois and New York City. Last year, a tax on soda in Illinois was rejected by lawmakers and more recently, a federal judge overturned a ban on sugary beverages over 16 ounces in New York City.