▁It ▁also ▁has ▁a ▁tax ▁on ▁food s ▁with ▁high ▁sod ium . ▁ ▁Sa udi ▁Arab ia ▁ ▁Sa udi ▁Arab ia ▁has ▁a ▁ 5 0 % ▁sugar ▁tax ▁only ▁on ▁soft ▁and ▁energy ▁drink s ▁since ▁ 1 0 ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁and ▁since ▁ 1 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁the ▁same ▁tax ▁percentage ▁applies ▁to ▁all ▁sug ary ▁drink s . ▁ ▁Singapore ▁During ▁the ▁National ▁Day ▁R ally ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Lee ▁H s ien ▁Lo ong ▁spoke ▁at ▁length ▁on ▁the ▁importance ▁of ▁fighting ▁di ab etes . ▁He ▁said , ▁" If ▁you ▁drink ▁soft ▁drink s ▁every ▁day , ▁you ▁are ▁over loading ▁your ▁system ▁with ▁sugar , ▁and ▁significantly ▁increasing ▁your ▁risk ▁of ▁di ab etes . ▁Our ▁children ▁are ▁most ▁at ▁risk ▁because ▁soft ▁drink s ▁are ▁part ▁of ▁their ▁l ifest yle ." ▁ ▁On ▁ 4 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Health ▁began ▁a ▁consult ation ▁exercise ▁to ▁seek ▁public ' s ▁feedback ▁on ▁measures ▁to ▁fight ▁di ab etes ▁which ▁includes ▁a ▁ban ▁on ▁high - s ug ar ▁packet ▁drink s ▁and ▁implementation ▁of ▁a ▁sugar ▁tax . ▁On ▁ 1 0 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Health ▁chose ▁to ▁ban ▁advert is ements ▁of ▁drink s ▁with ▁high ▁sugar ▁content ; ▁making ▁Singapore ▁the ▁first ▁country ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁to ▁do ▁so , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁introduce