WHO calls for higher taxes on products harmful to health

On July 2, 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a large-scale initiative in Geneva and Seville called "3 by 35." Its goal is to push countries to increase the real price of tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks by at least 50% by 2035, through increased taxes.[1].

A global initiative to save lives through taxation

This measure aims to curb the consumption of harmful products, reduce non-communicable diseases, such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, and mobilize essential public resources in a context of increasing pressure on health systems.

According to the WHO, a single 50-percent increase in the price of these products could prevent 50 million premature deaths over the next 50 years. These products are among the main factors in the global epidemic of chronic diseases, responsible for more than 75 per cent of deaths, with tobacco alone causing more than 7 million premature deaths worldwide each year and leading to millions of chronic diseases.

Dr. Jeremy Farrar, Assistant Director-General of WHO, emphasizes that taxes on harmful products are one of the most effective tools for improving public health. They both reduce consumption and generate revenue that governments can reinvest in health, education, or social protection.

The initiative aims to raise US$1 trillion (approximately €847 billion) over 10 years. Recent analysis suggests that a one-time tax increase to a level that raises prices by 50% could generate up to $3.7 billion (approximately €3.1 billion) in new revenue globally within five years, an average of $740 billion (approximately €627 billion) per year, equivalent to 0.75% of global GDP.[2].

The experience of many countries shows that this change is considered realistic, as nearly 140 countries have already increased tobacco taxes between 2012 and 2022, with an average real price increase of more than 50%. Examples such as Colombia and South Africa have demonstrated that well-designed taxation leads to lower consumption and higher revenues.

However, some states still maintain tax incentives or sign agreements with industries that limit tax increases and their beneficial effects on both public health and national resources. The WHO calls on governments to review these harmful practices.

Collective action to transform health systems

The initiative's success depends on strong international collaboration. WHO is coordinating a network of technical, strategic, and operational partners to support countries in implementing smarter taxes. This involves raising public awareness, supporting national tax reforms, and promoting evidence-based health policies.

The "3 by 35" initiative proposes three priority areas for action. First, reduce consumption by increasing prices through targeted taxes to make these products less accessible. Second, generate public revenue to fund health programs, including universal health coverage. Finally, foster political and societal support by involving finance ministries, parliamentarians, civil society, and researchers.

The list of partners and champions of the initiative includes the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, the Center for Global Development (CGDev), Health Economics at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Movendi International, the NCD Alliance (Noncommunicable Disease Alliance), the OECD, the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Vital Strategies, and the World Bank.

WHO calls on all stakeholders, including governments, civil society organizations, researchers, and development partners, to commit to fairer and healthier taxation, thereby accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.

During his World Conference on Tobacco Control in Dublin from 23 to 25 June 2025, the WHO had also called for action against global smoking, warning that only 3 countries have increased cigarette taxes since 2022, compared to 134 countries that do not follow the WHO recommendation to tax tobacco at 75 %. The proportion of countries that respect good tax practices increased from only 13 % to 15 % between 2018 and 2024.

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[1]World Health Organization, WHO launches bold initiative to raise taxes on harmful products and save millions of lives, published July 2, 2025, accessed July 3, 2025

[2]World Health Organization, The 3 by 35 Initiative, published July 2, 2025, accessed July 3, 2025

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