▁pass ▁a ▁tax ▁on ▁sug ary ▁drink s ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Ber keley ' s ▁tax ▁of ▁ 1 ▁cent / oz ▁of ▁sug ary ▁drink ▁has ▁seen ▁a ▁decl ine ▁in ▁s oda ▁consumption ▁by ▁more ▁than ▁ 2 0 ▁percent . ▁Philadelphia ' s ▁tax ▁of ▁ 1 . 5 ▁c ents / oz ▁took ▁effect ▁on ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁Ber keley , ▁California ▁ ▁The ▁Me asure ▁D ▁s oda ▁tax ▁was ▁approved ▁by ▁ 7 6 % ▁of ▁Ber keley ▁vot ers ▁on ▁ 4 ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁and ▁took ▁effect ▁on ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁such ▁tax ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁measure ▁impos es ▁a ▁tax ▁of ▁one ▁cent ▁per ▁ ounce ▁on ▁the ▁distrib utors ▁of ▁specified ▁sugar - s we eten ed ▁be ver ages ▁such ▁as ▁s oda , ▁sports ▁drink s , ▁energy ▁drink s , ▁and ▁swe eten ed ▁ice ▁te as ▁but ▁ex cluding ▁milk - based ▁be ver ages , ▁me al ▁replacement ▁drink , ▁di et ▁sod as , ▁fruit ▁ju ice , ▁and ▁alco hol . ▁The ▁re venue ▁generated ▁will ▁enter ▁the ▁general ▁fund ▁of ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁Ber keley . ▁A ▁similar ▁measure ▁in ▁neighbor ing ▁San ▁Francisco ▁received ▁ 5 4 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote , ▁but ▁fell ▁short ▁of ▁the ▁super major ity ▁required ▁to ▁pass . ▁In ▁August ▁ 2 0