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Sweet Surrender
Nellie Munin and Yael Efron
This role-play focuses on the different and conflicting interests underlying consumption taxes on sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs). SSBs are known to cause severe health damage. They are recognized by international organizations such as the WHO as sources of global concern. Nevertheless, conflicting interests sometimes prevent the development of effective policies to regulate them. The exercise refers, among other things, to the following aspects: the effectiveness of the “polluter pays” policy, and Pigouvian taxes; the effectiveness of consumption taxes to decrease consumption of SSBs, in comparison to other means; the conflicting interests involved in this dilemma. Roleplay includes lawyers representing the government, lawyers representing a non-profit organization, lawyers representing the association of SSB manufacturers, importers, and marketers, lawyers representing the Ministry of Health , and representatives of the World Health Organization.
Teacher’s Manual (PDF) available on Mitchell Hamline Open Access