27 Feb 2019 --- The US city of Berkley saw a 52 percent drop in the consumption of sugary drinks after it levied the nation’s first soda tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, effective since November 2014. This is according to a study from the University of Berkeley published in the American Journal of Public Health. The research highlights the importance of policy implementation as a means to promote healthier drinking habits and reducing sugar-related diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.