TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) -- Two bills still alive in Jackson could lead to statewide regulations dealing with what you eat and drink.
Many say lawmakers in Jackson need to consider other options when it comes to a tax on soft drinks and sweet tea.
It's being proposed as a way to raise money for the state to counter steep medical costs which stem from Mississippi's struggle with obesity.
"I don't see myself buying bottled water over soda just because it's a few cents more," Tupelo resident Scott Mathews said.
Mathews said it'll certainly raise revenue in Jackson. Whether or not -- as other lawmakers have said -- it will curb the state's calorie addiction is another story, though.
"I don't really see that being a solution for the problem," Mathews added. "I think making a tax on sodas or sweet tea -- I don't see that slowing down what people buy."
Resident Aaron Ledbetter agrees.
"You can compare that to the cigarette tax that they put on cigarettes," Ledbetter said. "You know, people still buy cigarettes regardless of what that tax did to it."
It's not just soft drinks, either. House Bill 1182 would actually prohibit cities and counties in the state from regulating certain items in restaurants and other places. It would leave the ultimate authority to the state Legislature and ultimately the federal government.
While those bills may not necessarily work in tandem, many say passing those would lead to greater regulation from the state over what Mississippians can eat and drink.
If the expected end result is a healthier Mississippi, Minnesota resident Kelly Dudley says it won't happen.
"They tax soda and other foods that they consider to be snacks in Minnesota and it doesn't make any difference. People are still going to purchase what they want to consume," Dudley said. "As far as obesity goes, it's not going to make any difference."
