Editor,

Regarding Initiative 1634, you stated in your editorial that the decision about what to put into our bodies should be our own.

There is nothing in I-1634 that would stop anyone from purchasing and consuming sugary sodas. Just as cigarette taxes do not make tobacco illegal, taxing pop only increases the price. No Washingtonian would be prohibited from buying, serving or drinking pop.

You acknowledge studies show that frequent consumption of “liter after liter of pop” leads to obesity and its attendant health problems – such as diabetes and fatty liver disease – which take a “huge economic toll on society.” That toll includes the cost of kidney dialysis, amputations, retinal eye surgeries, transplants, and nursing homes. Soda is not food.

It is a sugar delivery system that at best should be consumed only occasionally.

Washington state long ago decided that we were OK with sin taxes on items that people enjoyed but which actually cause serious health problems and economic cost to society, such as tobacco and alcohol.

As scientific research concludes that sugared soda falls into this category, big soda is now trying to do an end run around our democratically elected governments by asking us to forbid any local government from imposing such a tax.

The initiative is funded entirely by Pepsico, Coca Cola, Red Bull and Dr Pepper.

Corporations from out of state are sponsoring this initiative which would take away the right of our elected representatives to tax their products. Don’t allow them to dictate to us what laws or taxes we can pass.

That should be between us and our representatives.

This is not about “groceries.” Democracy itself is on the ballot. Vote no on I-1634.

Barbara Banfield, RN

Langley