A sugar tax on fizzy drinks will start in April.

Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan made the announcement during this year’s Budget speech, The revenue generated from the duty is estimated to be £300,000 for 2019/20.

This revenue, he said, would be used to combat obesity in children, along with supporting breastfeeding initiatives and promoting oral hygiene.

Residents gave us their views on the news and told us what kind of relationship they have with sugar.

’I think the tax is good in some ways because it makes people think about it more, like with the plastic bag charge,’ said Isabel Winchester, aged 12, from Peel.

She said that her school ran an experiment where an egg shell was left in a glass of Coke for more than a week. It goes all rotten, which shows how sugar can ruin your teeth,’ she said.

Her sister, Ellie, aged 11, said her school doesn’t allow students to bring in sugary drinks. ’We’re only allowed to bring in water and juice,’ she said.

Their dad, Steve, 53, said the revenue generated from the tax should ’definitely’ go towards oral health.

’If it’s going back into health then maybe it should go into the diabetes clinic. That would be ideal because diabetes is rising,’ he said.

’We’re steering away from sugary drinks because not only are they full of sugar, but there’s caffeine in it. There’s no sugar in our house unless it’s for baking. We do this mainly for teeth so they don’t become rotten.’

Isabel said: ’I didn’t drink fizzy drinks for a year once. People thought I couldn’t do it, so I did it. The dentist said it definitely made a difference.

’When I had a fizzy drink after the year it wasn’t really that exciting. I could live without it.’

She added that salt is another thing that could be taxed.

Douglas resident Sinead Edge, 45, does not agree with having a sugar tax.

’Everybody should have their sugar intake in moderation and it should be up to that person. I like my full fat Coke and Pepsi and I’m not overweight and I look after my teeth,’ she said.

The mum of two does not give her children carbonated drinks.

She added that she doesn’t believe the issue of obesity can be ’pin-pointed’ to just sugar.

Matthew Luckins, 29, from Douglas, thinks there should be a sugar tax: ’There’s obviously a problem, especially with kids and it’s only going to get worse.

He agrees that the revenue from the tax should be used towards ’potentially preventative’ programmes related with health. However, he acknowledges that it’s ’difficult’ to decide what is the right way to help people make healthier choices without forcing them.

He added: ’I try to resist sugary foods, but sometimes the draw of it is too much, especially with marketing where advertisements are right in your face.’

Nagachandra Palavali, 35, from Douglas, said: ’I agree with the sugar tax. My kid is seven years old and I don’t give them any fizzy drinks.

’We don’t bring fizzy drinks into the home. I think parents should keep an eye on what their children are eating as the quality of some foods is good or sometimes wrong.’