policy change proposal

POLICY CHANGE AND PROPOSAL
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Suppose you want to initiate a policy of taxing sugared sodas/pop/beverages in your community. Use the Longest’s policy cycle model to ponder the following questions:
What arguments would you use to make a case for the policy?
The argument I will use to make a case for the policy of taxation of sugared beverages are;
Sugared drinks, pop or sodas contain a significant amount of calories or sugar.
Sugared beverages, pop or sugar, are one of the most significant contributors to obesity and other health risks mostly in children (Healthy People, 2010). Since these foods are primarily cheap, they can be purchased by many people hence they posing as a health risk to many people
The taxes which are collected from these sugared beverages will be used to fund other health programs in communities. This will also help people who have suffered because of these beverages to access health care.
What argument(s) would your opponents make?
The argument which will be made by those opposed to the idea of taxation policy of sugared soda, pop, and other beverages are;
Government is being dictatorial on the restriction of individual choices. The opponents always have a plan that nobody has been forced to take this sugared beverages, and hence governments will be acting as a nanny state when doing so.
The taxation policy which is being proposed will have a negative impact on the economy of workers and businesses. This is because the companies which produce theses, soda, pops, and beverages will leading to the closure of some business and layout of some work due to the high cost of production.

These sodas, beverages, and pop are being unfairly singled out since they are not the only source of health risk in the community.
How would you go about getting buy-in for your proposed policy?
The policy which I am intending will not be readily accepted by everybody, especially those businesses which dealing with beverages, sodas and pop sale or production. The first thing to do is to educate people about the dangers these beverages have an impact on our health, economy and health cost included (The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, 2018). Also, the other point is to explain to people the benefits of taking drinks or sodas which are low in sugar content. Even by involving the stakeholders who are engaged in the business of beverages about the importance of sugar tax to the nation will be one of the most significant steps when trying to convince individuals to accept this idea.
What stakeholder groups need to be involved in promoting your policy?
The parties who are to be included in promoting this policy of sugar tax are;
Policy makers, this stakeholders group will help in setting the laws which are required when it comes to sugar tax. They support to create policies to be followed by companies or business which deal sugared drinks.
Businesses and workers. This kind of stakeholders will have to be assured that their business will not close if they accept this kind of policy (Teitelbaum, Wilensky. 2012). From the plans, companies will be given options of sustaining their businesses after sugar tax in introduced.
Health officials- health official, will be required to educate the people on the dangers of taking sugared drinks. They will also be needed to give evidence of the statistics which result from taking sugared beverages. They will also help in providing the proof on why banning this sugared drinks is essential.

References
Health & Human Services, Healthy People 2020 (2010) at http://healthypeople.gov/2020/Institute of Medicine, 
The future of nursing: Leading change, advancing health (2010).http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2010/The-future-of-nursing-leading-change-advancing-health.aspx
Teitelbaum, J. & Wilensky, S. (2012). Essentials of health policy and law (2nd edition), Jones & Bartlett Learning, Burlington, MA. [ISBN: 978-1449653309