Philadelphia became the first major US city to adopt a tax on carbonated and sugary drinks. The 1.5 cent-per-ounce tax will apply to sodas, diet sodas, and other drinks with added sugar like Gatorade, lemonade, and iced tea. The policy is a huge step for soda tax advocates: Similar proposals have been defeated in at least 40 cities or states—with the help of more than $100 million from the American Beverage Association, PepsiCo, and Coca Cola. Until now, relatively small and liberal Berkeley, California was the only city with an existing policy. The American Beverage Association, which spent nearly $5 million campaigning against the measure, has promised legal action.
— source motherjones.com