The Task Force on Fiscal Policy for Health - convened in 2018 to assess the role of fiscal policies to address the large and growing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) - published its 2024 Report titled 'Health Taxes: A Compelling Policy for the Crises of Today'. 

Of the three products considered in this report, tobacco continues to cause the most death and illness in the world and extensive guidance and country experience on effective tax policy is available. Despite this, tobacco tax policy has actually regressed in 76 countries; some 87 percent of the world’s one billion smokers now live in countries where cigarettes are equally or more affordable than in 2019. 

We call on all countries to urgently and substantially raise health taxes, prioritizing tobacco, and continue increasing them above the level of inflation and economic growth. This will require strong and sustained political will to counter the opposition from affected industries and their allies and should be actively supported by multilateral agencies. Governments will need to limit the industries’ interference with policy making, harness public support, and make the case that health taxes are a win-win for health and for revenues. 

Download the Report below: