A person could be agnostic about a soda tax and this might still raise more than a few questions about conflicting motives. Save the Children has dropped its previously active support for a tax on soft drinks. The group had recently been a leader in the effort as a way to fight childhood obesity in campaigns in Mississippi, New Mexico, Washington State, Philadelphia and the District of Columbia.  

What changed? Save the Children’s chief operating officer claims there is no connection between the discussions they are having regarding grants from Coca Cola or a $5 million dollar grant already received from PepsiCo.

“We looked at it [support of the soft drink tax] and said, ‘Is this something we should be out there doing and does this fit with the way that Save the Children works?’ ” She said. “And the answer was no.”

Call it partnering:

Nice li’l non-profit you have there. Sure could use a fresh coat of paint though.  

Alternative: Nice soft drink you have there? It’d be a shame if it was taxed.

 

Similar questions about conflicting interests were raised in 2009 when the doctor’s organization American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) received a six figure grant from Coca Cola to develop consumer education content on beverages and sweeteners for FamilyDoctor.org, a consumer health Web site.  

Unconnected to the Save the Children effort this issue was front and center here in November when the Vermont Healthy Weight Initiative was spotlighted by Attorney General William Sorrel (out of what some see as his traditional role).

The initiative included a proposal for a tax on sugar sweetened beverages(SSBs)