ISLAMABAD: Anti-tobacco activists and health experts on Tuesday asked the government to further increase taxes on tobacco products in the coming budget (2023-24) to discourage its consumption among the youth.
They informed that the budget proposals for 2023-24 would take into account of the health aspects of tobacco consumption. Around 1200 children were smoking in Pakistan daily which was pushing share of the smokers up unlike the developed and many developing countries. They added the trend could be arrested only through an increase of taxes, making the cigarettes out of the reach of children.
According to the new report released by a global research organization (Our World in Data), the share of smokers among Pakistani youth has historically been increasing each year while globally it has been falling due to higher taxes and awareness, leading to a significant decrease in health problems and deaths. The trend is expected to reverse by the recent hike in taxes on cigarettes.
Tobacco smoking is one of the world’s largest health problems. Millions of people live in poor health because of smoking and researchers estimate that every year around 8 million people die an early death due to smoking, according to a research report.
In Pakistan, around 337,500 people die due to smoking each year while causing a burden of around Rs 620 billion on health facilities. The government jacked up the Federal Excise Duty (FED) on cigarettes in February 2023 to discourage its use and boost its revenues, but the multinational tobacco companies have been lobbying to reverse it.
The cigarette companies continue to spread propaganda stating that increase in cigarette prices results in illegal cigarettes becoming available in the market. In reality, with increase in taxes, less people take up smoking and many people quit smoking. The overall result is that consumption reduces. This results in losses to these international cigarette companies who propagate low taxes to make more profits.
The World Health Organisation said that raising taxes on tobacco products which lead to increases in their price makes tobacco less affordable. When tobacco becomes less affordable people use it less and youth initiation is prevented. Because youth and low-income groups are more responsive to increases in tobacco prices, they disproportionately enjoy the health and economic benefits of quitting and not starting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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