Anti-smoking measures: WHO details the benefits

According to a 2017 report by the WHO (World Health Organization) and the U.S. National Cancer Institute, tobacco control measures can generate significant government revenue while protecting public health.

The financial impact of tobacco worldwide

According to the WHO, "These measures significantly reduce tobacco consumption and protect the health of populations against major global killers, such as cancers and heart disease." The economics of tobacco and tobacco control further explains that without these measures, such as taxes and price increases, health care costs and lost productivity would amount to more than $100 billion per year. Today, tobacco causes approximately 6 million deaths per year. There are 1.1 billion smokers aged 15 and older worldwide. 80% live in low- and middle-income countries, and 226 million live in poverty.

For Dr. Oleg Chestnov, WHO Assistant Director-General for Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health, "the economic impact of tobacco on countries and the general public is colossal. (…) The tobacco industry manufactures and markets products that cause millions of premature deaths, deprive households of financial resources that could have been used for food or education, and impose enormous health costs on families, communities, and countries."

0.80 euros per pack more = 66 million fewer smokers?

The 2017 report suggests that annual revenue from cigarette excise taxes could reach $140 billion if all countries increased them by €0.80 per pack. Furthermore, it is likely that this increase, which would raise retail cigarette prices by an average of 42%, would lead to a 9% drop in smoking rates, or up to 66 million fewer adult smokers. This report therefore encourages governments to resort to tax increases, as well as bans on advertising and public smoking.

Reduce mortality from non-communicable diseases

Combating the tobacco epidemic is a global public health issue. According to the WHO, "tobacco control is a fundamental element of WHO's global response to noncommunicable diseases, primarily cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes." These diseases cause 16 million premature deaths each year, and one of the Sustainable Development Goals is to reduce their rate by one-third by 2030. Reducing tobacco use worldwide will be a significant lever in this regard.

©Generation Without Tobacco

[i] "Tobacco: an obstacle to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)" https://www.generationsanstabac.org/le-tabac-un-obstacle-aux-objectifs-du-developpement-durable-odd/

“Global tobacco control saves billions of dollars and millions of lives,” www.actusoins.com, January 17, 2017 https://www.actusoins.com/283308/lutte-antitabac-monde-permet-deconomiser-milliards-de-dollars-de-sauver-millions-de-vies.html

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