'Sin' Tax Would Offset Meat-Eaters' Higher Health-Care Costs, Says Group
For Immediate Release:
December 30, 2011
Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382
Des Moines, Iowa -- Decked out in pig costumes and driving a convertible, two PETA members will make a splash at the Republican Primary in Des Moines, Iowa, to call for a federal excise tax on meat. Waving signs that read, "Cut the Pork: Tax Meat!" and showering the crowds with campaign buttons, the PETA porkers will point out that meat consumption has been linked to some of America's top killers, such as heart disease and cancer—driving health-care costs through the roof—and wreaks havoc on the environment. PETA is calling for meat to be taxed at 10 cents per pound to offset its staggering costs, just as alcohol, tobacco, gasoline, and other items are subject to a "sin" tax.
When: Monday, January 2, 10 A.M.
Where: Intersection of Third and Locust Streets, Des Moines
"Today's factory farms aren't just a nightmare for animals—they're also killers of our health and the environment," says PETA Senior Vice President Dan Mathews. "Slapping a long overdue tax on meat would save countless lives, human and nonhuman alike."
For more information, please visit PETA.org.