The World Health Organization (WHO) announced the launch of a global initiative called “3 to 35”, which foresees an increase in the cost of tobacco products, alcohol and sugary drinks by at least 50% by 2035. About this it is said on the organization’s official website.
The proposed price increase is planned to be implemented through the introduction of so-called health care taxes. These measures should help reduce the spread of non-communicable chronic diseases, as well as become a source of income for state budgets.
According to the WHO, diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes are responsible for more than 75% of all deaths in the world. At the same time, a one-time 50% increase in the prices of harmful products could prevent 50 million premature deaths over the next 50 years.
The organization emphasizes that health taxes are one of the most effective tools: they simultaneously reduce harmful consumption and provide financial support for the systems of medicine, education and social protection.
The goal of the initiative is to raise one trillion dollars over the next decade. The WHO notes that between 2012 and 2022, 140 countries have already increased taxes on tobacco products, leading to an average price increase of more than 50%.
Positive results of the introduction of such taxes have already been observed in Colombia, South Africa and a number of other countries. At the same time, the WHO warns: many countries still provide tax incentives to industries that produce harmful products, or conclude long-term investment agreements that limit the possibility of introducing higher taxes on tobacco.
