▁cent ▁per ▁ ounce ▁would ▁reduce ▁consumption ▁by ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 0 %. ▁ ▁Maryland ▁and ▁Virginia ▁are ▁two ▁of ▁ 3 3 ▁states ▁that ▁le vy ▁sales ▁tax es ▁on ▁s oda . ▁Maryland ▁tax es ▁s oda ▁at ▁a ▁rate ▁of ▁ 6 %, ▁while ▁Virginia ' s ▁rate ▁is ▁ 1 . 5 %. ▁ ▁Virginia ▁is ▁also ▁one ▁of ▁six ▁states ▁that ▁imp ose ▁a ▁state ▁exc ise ▁tax ▁on ▁s oda ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁a ▁sales ▁tax . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁Ob ama ▁Administration ▁expl ored ▁lev ying ▁an ▁exc ise ▁tax ▁on ▁swe eten ed ▁be ver ages ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁health ▁care ▁reform ▁efforts , ▁but ▁the ▁proposal ▁was ▁abandoned ▁after ▁heavy ▁lo bb ying ▁by ▁the ▁be verage ▁industry . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁New ▁York ▁State ▁considered ▁a ▁s oda ▁tax , ▁however ▁opposition ▁from ▁the ▁s oda ▁industry ▁and ▁econom ists ▁made ▁a ▁strong ▁ant it ax ▁campaign , ▁sp ending ▁at ▁least ▁double ▁of ▁the ▁tax ▁supp or ters ▁and ▁the ▁plan ▁failed . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁the ▁City ▁Council ▁of ▁Richmond , ▁California ▁placed ▁the ▁s oda ▁tax ▁on ▁the ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁ball ot ▁along ▁with ▁an ▁advis ory ▁measure ▁asking ▁vot ers ▁how ▁they ▁would ▁like ▁to ▁spend ▁the ▁tax ▁re venue . ▁This ▁proposal ▁was ▁rejected ▁by ▁the ▁vot ers ▁with ▁ 6 7 % ▁voting ▁no ▁and ▁