Given the high health costs of tobacco use, reducing smoking rates would lead to substantial health gains
Tobacco kills half of its users as has been indicated by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of death in the world. It kills 8 million people every year. More than 7 million deaths are a direct result of tobacco use, while 1.2 million deaths are due to secondhand smoke.
In Pakistan, tobacco is a cause of death of around 160,100 persons every year. The youth of Pakistan are being targetted by the tobacco industry so that “replacement smokers” can be recruited. Around 1,200 Pakistani children between the ages of 6 and 15 start smoking every day.
Sin Taxes – a soft target that does more harm than good - Biznews
23 February 2021 - The argument for sin taxes is frequently made. Arguments against sin taxes, however, are rarely discussed, and never feature in the National Treasury’s budget speeches.
At first glance sin taxes make sense… The taxed items aren’t essentials and increasing the price of unhealthy substances should reduce their appeal. Ivo Vegter from the Daily Friend delves a little deeper into the most popular indulgences around the world and finds that, in South Africa, sin taxes might not be that simple. During one of the strictest lockdowns in the world, the country was a revealing test case for what happens when cigarettes and alcohol are banned outright. A black market emerged almost over night, drawing ordinarily law-abiding citizens into business with organised crime syndicates. While government ‘fiddles at the margins’, these taxes have a substantial effect on employment, industry and the economy
Few cheers as sin taxes set to increase In his 2021 Budget Speech, the Finance Minister announced increases for tobacco and alcohol products. sin-taxesjpeg
At first glance sin taxes make sense… The taxed items aren’t essentials and increasing the price of unhealthy substances should reduce their appeal. Ivo Vegter from the Daily Friend delves a little deeper into the most popular indulgences around the world and finds that, in South Africa, sin taxes might not be that simple. During one of the strictest lockdowns in the world, the country was a revealing test case for what happens when cigarettes and alcohol are banned outright. A black market emerged almost over night, drawing ordinarily law-abiding citizens into business with organised crime syndicates. While government ‘fiddles at the margins’, these taxes have a substantial effect on employment, industry and the economy as a whole. The article was first published on Daily Friend. – Melani Nathan.