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A provincial coalition of prominent health groups is calling on the premier to put a tax on sugary drinks in hopes of reducing obesity and collecting much-needed revenue for health promotion.

And while the province won’t commit to the idea yet, Alberta Health and Wellness has said it is willing to look at it as a possible revenue-generator in this spring’s budget.

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The Alberta Policy Coalition for Chronic Disease Prevention argues that sugary drinks have been linked to serious health problems like obesity, heart disease, hypertension and diabetes.

“Sugary drinks are placing an enormous burden on our quality of life, our economy and our health-care system,” said Rachel Prowse, registered dietitian and PhD student at the University of Alberta studying health promotion.

Prowse admits that while we all face a number of other negative health effects from high-fat foods to sedentary lifestyles, sugary drinks are the one vice that a majority of Canadians and their kids are indulging in.