Share

World Health Organization says too few countries taxing tobacco products enough – The Dispatch News

On one hand, this could drastically curb the demand for tobacco, as a raising the prices for cigarettes has the potential to stop a great many people from smoking, or at least to lower the smoking rates.

Advertisement

Around the world, there is one person who dies of a tobacco attributed disease every second.

Bettcher said evidence from countries such as China and France shows higher prices on tobacco products led to declines in smoking prevalence and tobacco-related deaths from illnesses, such as lung cancer.

On Tuesday Who might considered that not all states employ hookah tobacco tax returns in such a manner in respect to dishearten people at large from smoking cigarettes or cigars or assisting each of them back off this custom. Approximately one billion smokers are stubbornly holding on to the habit worldwide.

Singh said that presently most countries have a complex and “tiered” tax structure that is not only hard to administer but also creates loopholes that undermine both the health and revenue impacts of tobacco excise taxes. Since 2007, the number of countries implementing some form of the recommendations has more than doubled – and millions of lives have been saved.

The report cited research showing that increasing tobacco prices by 10% reduces tobacco consumption by 4% in wealthy countries.

Governments should increase taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products to save lives and generate funds for stronger health services, says the World Health Organization (WHO).

Illnesses linked to tobacco consumption are one of the biggest global health threats. The organization claims this is “among the most effective and cost-effective tobacco control interventions”, costs little to implement and increases government revenues.

Despite such progress, the WHO reports taxation is the least implemented tobacco control measure around the world.

Meanwhile, out of the 194 World Health Organization member countries, only 33 have levied taxes on tobacco products amounting to 75 percent of the overall sales price. “Countries should consider implementing the provisions of the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products to confront the illegal market”, she adds.

Advertisement

The recent estimates also establish the fact that there were about 246 million smokers and 290 million smokeless tobacco users in the South East Asian region. Progress and development in low- and middle-income countries is threatened by these diseases, the report argues, where more than 80% of deaths from these conditions occur. That is forecast to rise to more than 8 million people a year by 2030, unless strong measures are taken to control the epidemic.

An increase in cigarette taxes will make smoking expensive  Image PulsarWallpapers