The World Health Organisation wants health taxes hiked worldwide to slow down the epidemic of non-communicable diseases, pointing to a recent report suggesting that a 50% price rise on sugary drinks, alcohol and tobacco could prevent 50m premature deaths over the next half century, reports News24.
Tobacco on its own causes more than 7m deaths per annum, and health taxes “are one of the most efficient tools we have”, according to Jeremy Farrar, the WHO’s assistant director-general of health promotion and disease prevention and control.
“They cut the consumption of harmful products and create revenue governments can reinvest in health care, education and social protection. It’s time to act.”
The WHO’s call comes as health systems are under huge pressure from increasing numbers of NCDs, shrinking development aid and ballooning public debt.
NCDs account for more than 75% of all deaths worldwide, and increasing taxation would generate an extra $1 trillion in public revenue over the next decade, it said. Between 2012 and 2022, nearly 140 countries raised tobacco taxes, resulting in an increase of real prices by more 50% on average.
News24 article – WHO calls for increase in health taxes to save lives (Open access)
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