U.K. Doctor Wants Chocolate Taxed

By: Tucker Reals
Topics: World Watch

(CBS / iStock Photo)

A Scottish doctor is so concerned that Britons are taking after their American cousins in the waistline department that he's recommending the government tax chocolate.

Dr. David Walker, a family doctor and nutritionist, warned in an interview with the BBC that "Obesity is a mushrooming problem. We are heading the same way as the United States.

"There is an explosion of obesity and the related medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes," he told BBC News' Web site. "I see chocolate as a major player in this, and I think a tax on products containing chocolate could make a real difference."

According to Walker, drastic action is needed to jolt the British people out of their sugar-induced "false sense of security."

"I had one patient recently who said to me she thought chocolate was good for you. People are being brainwashed into believing this," he said.

Many people in Britain, the good doctor warns, are consuming their entire caloric intake for the day in chocolate – on top of their regular meals.

He wants to see a tax on chocolate just like the one levied on tobacco and alcohol.

And why not?

I'll tell you why not: There would be widespread mutiny (and I do mean widespread - U.K. leaders would long for the days of the quaint little Boston Tea Party), followed by a very, very brief civil war.

Dr. Walker and his army of nutritionists would not fare well against this densely populated island nation of chocoholics.

Tucker Reals
Tucker Reals is a senior news editor and overnight site editor for CBSNews.com, based at CBS News' London bureau.

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by barbaram99 March 17, 2009 6:22 AM EDT: I realise my spelling is bad. At store there are things we eat and drink that is taxed. People had a tizzy when pop was first taxed. It is taxed . They tax junk food,candy etc. Even my TV dinners I have to heat in the mocrowave as I can't cook.; Reply to this comment


by barbaram99 March 16, 2009 5:12 PM EDT: Even if it is taxed they will buy it. They tax funk food in WA State and if I want a pop, etc I pay the tax. I don't have it that much as it is costly a bag of chocolates..Yes they are taxed.; Reply to this comment


by skunk_monkey March 14, 2009 4:11 PM EDT: ??A Scottish doctor is concerned that Britons are taking after their American cousins??

Please CBS news Britons are the Celtic tribe of England they have nothing to do with Scotland. What you mean to say is ??British?? I know its not much but its slowly eroding our history/identity. Scottish people are British not Britons remember that!

Its also laughable when the media refers to blacks in the uk as Britons (they clearly have no Celtic connections); Reply to this comment


by toolmangler-2009 March 13, 2009 9:40 PM EDT: I am a "Chocoholic" and I don't want to quit., don't tax Chocolate. Tax FAT!!! You touch'a my Chocolate, I break'a you face...; Reply to this comment


by sly_64 March 13, 2009 12:27 PM EDT: I want stupid people taxed. The revenue we generate in
DC will fund all of this spending.

Posted by PA_Iraq_Vet

They already do that. It's called Federal Income tax. We are all stupid to let the government get away with what they do.; Reply to this comment


by frank-e1 March 13, 2009 11:47 AM EDT: Lets place an extra tax on doctor profits -- the one growth industry left!; Reply to this comment


by mrjoshcan March 13, 2009 8:09 AM EDT: Unusually packagers of Nestle(r) rabbit ears and Hershey(r) musketeers all-fired-up, persuading excessive amounts buying little Boston's family of course, colaborating stories about Scottish doctor tea brand lifting undocumented taxable infringement. However quaint, should Supplesoft - C - 2010 infuse chocolate on infinite basis, what pursuing Chief Officers and Corporation Presidents in belief that Gigglygoo(tm) Candy is a choice by far because of its important German charisma; "...honorable Germans in righteous will. Germany victorious throughout war then and thereafter! blonde-blue unanimously amends. Better our respectful reasoning!"; Reply to this comment


by ozus March 12, 2009 11:21 PM EDT: In Australia all food that is processed is taxed.; Reply to this comment


by msscooby_72 March 12, 2009 5:47 PM EDT: I think if people want to eat chocolate it is there own choice. Everything is being taxes its like we don't have any rights at all without paying out the money. What will be next? Eat the chocolate and be happy with life.; Reply to this comment


by whitemale08 March 12, 2009 3:49 PM EDT: Most of the chocolate eaten in the U.S. is about 5% chocolate, more like "chocolate flavoring".

Pure chocolate, at least 65%, cost 3 times as much so if that happened here in the U.S. then adding more tax on already costly food is ubsurd.

Just make sure that anyone who's rich or makes more then a 1/4 million a year gets taxed.; Reply to this comment