WHO advocates raising taxes on tobacco

As the world celebrates World No Tobacco Day today, the World Health Organization has called for raised taxes on tobacco. This according to the WHO is the most effective policy to reduce tobacco use.

The agency also believes raising tobacco taxes is also the most cost-effective. To mark the day, it released a short brochure that gives examples of how countries including France, the Philippines and Turkey have successfully introduced strong tobacco tax policies.

"It also breaks down the myths spread by the tobacco industry about the impact of tobacco tax increases. Lastly, it lists what WHO recommends for further progress towards more widespread strong tobacco tax policies," WHO said.

Click here to download the brochure.

Today, every 6 seconds someone dies from tobacco use. Tobacco kills up to half of its users. It also incurs considerable costs for families, businesses and governments. Treating tobacco-related diseases like cancer and heart disease is expensive. And as tobacco-related disease and death often strikes people in the prime of their working lives, productivity and incomes fall. 

“Raising taxes on tobacco is the most effective way to reduce use and save lives,” says WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan. “Determined action on tobacco tax policy hits the industry where it hurts.”

In Nigeria, the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) and the Civil Society Legislative Advocate Centre (CISLAC) have enjoined Nigerian lawmakers to expedite actions on the passage of the National Tobacco Control Bill (NTCB). HealthNewsNG.com reported the Director, Corporate Accountability & Administration, ERA/FoEN, Akinbode Oluwafemi urgedlawmakers to put aside party sentiments and personal ambitions to confront a common challenge which the tobacco menace poses to Nigeria.

"It is now time for our lawmakers to prioritise health and the wellness of our citizens by speeding up work on the bill to finally make it law," he said.

“There are several reasons why we must now move to autopilot mode on the tobacco bill. It may interest you to know that during the yuletide, we continued to unearth and document the subtle and very deliberate activities of the tobacco industry aimed at confusing the Nigerian public and thwarting any form of regulation.

"We documented more articles in the dailies and online platforms obviously concocted and written word for word by PR agencies paid to burnish the image of British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN). As anticipated, the articles showed similarities in phrases and intent, especially the demand for watered down legislation which will allow BATN to continue its deceptive marketing strategies that have lured our youths into the smoking habit.”

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