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> Taxes don't work to work to change behavior, or people would have stopped speeding a long time ago, sugary drinks wouldn't sell in Seattle, and people would stop buying coffee in California.

You do realize "work" isn't a binary thing?




Cigarettes can be an indicator:

http://www.nber.org/papers/w18326

> Our evidence suggests that increases in cigarette taxes are associated with small decreases in cigarette consumption and that it will take sizable tax increases, on the order of 100%, to decrease adult smoking by as much as 5%.


Yeah, though cigarettes are actually biologically addictive... probably not the best comparison point against plastics.


Canada tried increasing cigarette taxes a lot a couple decades ago. The result was the emergence of a black market, smuggling, and drive-by shootings of the rival smuggling gangs.

The tax was lowered back down.


A small decrease in plastic waste is insufficient. We need radical solutions yesterday, not lackluster solutions three months from now.


Plastic isn't an addictive substance.




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