The California legislature is considering imposing "fat taxes" on junk food to raise money for children's health, dental and obesity prevention programs.

An increasing number of people are overweight -- and that leads to a variety of health problems, from high blood pressure and joint pains to diabetes and cholesterol. In the case of tobacco, precedent has been set for taxing an industry for health problems its products cause.

But junk food and sweets don't cause serious problems if used in moderation. Any product can make a person sick if an excessive amount is consumed.

A better start might be to teach children about nutrition in school, beginning at an early age. As they get older, children could be taught the value of exercise and the dangers of fats, oils and sweets. That could be done without increased taxes.

A Libertarian Party spokesman missed a point when he quipped, "If Americans wanted the government to tell us what to eat, we would have elected Jenny Craig president."

Everybody wants to be healthy -- and most people either want or badly need refresher lessons in how to achieve that goal. But they need information -- not an ever-growing bureaucracy with an insatiable appetite for their paychecks.

　　From Healthy.net