Increase tobacco tax, say cancer doctors

Increase tobacco tax, say cancer doctors

This World Tobacco Day, the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital has suggested an increase in taxes on tobacco to reduce its consumption.

Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death globally and is currently responsible for 10 per cent of adult deaths worldwide.

“Tobacco kills every third tobacco user prematurely through cancer, heart disease, lung diseases etc., causing a huge burden on our already resource-crunched healthcare system. Tobacco addiction has been identified as a ‘disease’ that affects every third Indian adult and nearly every fifth Indian child,” said Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, head and neck cancer surgeon at Tata Memorial Hospital.

“Studies have consistently shown that the most effective approach to controlling tobacco use is through policies that directly reduce the demand for it. One of the most cost-effective option for governments everywhere is the simple elevation of tobacco prices by use of consumption taxes,” he added.

Dr Surendra Shastri, professor and head of preventive oncology services at Tata Memorial Centre quoted a review of 63 studies by Sir Richard Peto of the Oxford-based group “Cancer Research UK” that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine earlier this year, which has predicted that “tripling tobacco taxes could save 200 million premature deaths worldwide by 2025.”

“Evidence from countries of all income levels clearly demonstrate that tobacco taxes are a powerful tool for reducing tobacco use while at the same time providing a reliable source of government revenue,” said Dr Shastri.

India is unique in the range of tobacco products that are available at different price points. Tobacco taxes are low overall in India, and are especially low for the products consumed most widely.

According to Dr A.K. D’cruz, director, Tata Memorial Hospital, the greatest impact of price increase of tobacco products would be among the youth and those from the lower socio-economic strata, who are the most vulnerable and at-risk population for tobacco initiation and abuse. He also emphasised that given the various tobacco products in the market, it is important to identify and make efforts to tax all forms of tobacco to prevent switch to lower-priced tobacco products.