1 November 2015 – The Regional Office, the Framework Convention Secretariat, ministries of health and finance, countries and experts are working together to tackle tobacco taxation, which is one of the main challenges facing the Eastern Mediterranean Region. All stakeholders are collaborating to identify the gaps in implementation and agree on ways to scale up action in this area.
Increasing taxes on tobacco products is one of the most effective tobacco control policies however global developments in the area of taxation are weak. Despite the fact that raising tobacco taxes to more than 75% of the retail price is among the most impactful and cost-effective tobacco control interventions, very few countries have increased taxes to this best practice level. In fact, raising taxes is the least implemented demand side measure of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, with only 10% of the world’s population living in countries with sufficiently high taxes. Further, this measure has seen the least improvement since 2008.
In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, only two countries are among the 33 identified highest achieving countries in this policy. While some other countries in this Region are implementing high taxation levels, they are not up to the best practice level. Compared to other WHO Regions, the Eastern Mediterranean has the second lowest average tobacco prices and the second lowest average excise tax per pack. Given that tobacco consumption is expected to rise in the Region, it is imperative that countries move forward in this area in order to control consumption.
The WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2015 shows that his region has the second highest average smoking prevalence among men and is among one of only two WHO regions that did not see a decline in smoking prevalence between 2000 and 2012. According to current projections, smoking prevalence in the Eastern Mediterranean will increase between 2010 and 2025 unless all relevant stakeholder work together to scale up in tobacco control, achieve the maximum level in tobacco taxation policies and sustain implementation of tobacco control policies.
Related resources
Increasing taxation in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
Raise taxes on tobacco
WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2015
1 November 2015 – The Regional Office, the Framework Convention Secretariat, ministries of health and finance, countries and experts are working together to tackle tobacco taxation, which is one of the main challenges facing the Eastern Mediterranean Region. All stakeholders are collaborating to identify the gaps in implementation and agree on ways to scale up action in this area.
Increasing taxes on tobacco products is one of the most effective tobacco control policies however global developments in the area of taxation are weak. Despite the fact that raising tobacco taxes to more than 75% of the retail price is among the most impactful and cost-effective tobacco control interventions, very few countries have increased taxes to this best practice level. In fact, raising taxes is the least implemented demand side measure of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, with only 10% of the world’s population living in countries with sufficiently high taxes. Further, this measure has seen the least improvement since 2008.
In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, only two countries are among the 33 identified highest achieving countries in this policy. While some other countries in this Region are implementing high taxation levels, they are not up to the best practice level. Compared to other WHO Regions, the Eastern Mediterranean has the second lowest average tobacco prices and the second lowest average excise tax per pack. Given that tobacco consumption is expected to rise in the Region, it is imperative that countries move forward in this area in order to control consumption.
The WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2015 shows that his region has the second highest average smoking prevalence among men and is among one of only two WHO regions that did not see a decline in smoking prevalence between 2000 and 2012. According to current projections, smoking prevalence in the Eastern Mediterranean will increase between 2010 and 2025 unless all relevant stakeholder work together to scale up in tobacco control, achieve the maximum level in tobacco taxation policies and sustain implementation of tobacco control policies.
Related resources
Increasing taxation in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
Raise taxes on tobacco
WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2015
