That's just not true. Selective taxing most deinitely can shift consumption trends. 

For tobbaco: http://fjc.people.uic.edu/Presentations/Papers/taxes_consump_rev.pdf

It would also make no sense that higher prices do not lead to a lower demand.

-Fast food tax, less fast food joints
-Sugar tax
-Fight the food industry
-ban fast food/snack commercials, promote alternatives

=healthier people

I'm tentatively ok with this, depending on where the money goes. If it goes towards things like nutrition education for children, subsidies for healthful food, etc, I'm ok with it.

As do I, which is why I support measures to curb soda consumption.

It's a habit you get as a child, and quite difficult to get rid of. If this brings some families not to serve their children sugary drinks on a daily basis, that would be fantastic.

If you care about other families then you should be in support of this tax

Nice. Fuck over your local retailers and kills some local jobs so you can bring more money into the government. I'm sure adjoining counties are celebrating.

It most definitely should have been a national effort.

= less jobs 

It won't, it never does. Goes straight into the pockets of politicians, or to cover shortfalls in other areas of government that were mismanaged. Same as red light cameras.

Enough with these petty cash grabs.

Big brother in action .