San Francisco may be the first city in the country to tax soft drinks. The idea is to discourage people from buying the sugary drinks, which have been linked to obesity.

San Francisco's Mayor Gavin Newsom called soda, "the new cigarettes" and is really pushing for a tax. 

Newsom issued a challenge to soda companies.

"With all due respect, you guys are contributing to increased costs in health care for the rest of us," he said.
    
Meanwhile, the people who sell soda drinks are pushing back with new television commercials. 

"I've never seen it work where a government tells people what to eat and what to drink," Coca Cola CEO Muhtar Kent said last week. "If it worked, the Soviet Union would still be around."

CBN News Medical Reporter Lorie Johnson appeared on CBN Newschannel's Midday program Tuesday to give her analysis on the issue.

Click play to watch the interview.