SFP QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER Edition 3, 2024
Thursday, 03 October 2024
SFP Publications
SFP Events
Capacity building on pro-health taxes
As part of the FILTERED project, the Smoke Free Partnership is organising a 2.5-day capacity-building event on pro-health taxes. The event will take place on 4-6 June 2025, in Sofia, Bulgaria.
This event will equip participants – including civil society representatives, decision-makers, and journalists – with the knowledge and tools necessary to advocate for pro-health taxes – the most cost-effective policy measures for addressing NCDs at the population level.
Topics will include:
• The link between taxes and health, focusing on NCD risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy food and drinks
• The fiscal aspects and administration of pro-health taxation
• The health economics of pro-health taxes
• Strategies to combat illicit trade, particularly in tobacco and alcohol
• Current EU and national policies on taxing tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy food and drinks
• Effective advocacy strategies for promoting pro-health taxes at both EU and national levels
International News
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'.
Read the report.
New WHO Report on pro-health taxes
The WHO and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have released a new series of Health Tax briefs, offering a practical, step-by-step framework to help policymakers advocate for effective taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages. These taxes are essential tools in the fight against noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
One highlight from the series is a special report on tobacco taxes, titled "Action for Health Taxes: From Policy Development to Implementation".
SFP Participation in External Events
On 17-19 September, SFP Director Lilia Olefir attended the World Cancer Congress, where SFP, in collaboration with the World Health Organization Office for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, co-moderated a key session. The session highlighted the essential role of tobacco taxation in combating the global tobacco epidemic, with a focus on the European Union (EU) and the Eastern Mediterranean regions. Discussions centered on the affordability of tobacco products, the anticipated effects of future tax hikes, and the need to reform regional frameworks, such as the EU Tobacco Tax Directive, to strengthen the taxation of both traditional and novel tobacco products, ensuring a wider impact both regionally and globally. In addition, Lilia delivered a presentation on the 'Lessons from the Tobacco Industry Interference Index in Europe,' shedding light on how industry tactics have influenced policy efforts across Europe.
NEWS FROM PARTNERS
ASH Comment on King’s Speech announcement about the Tobacco and Vapes Bill
In the King’s Speech of 17 July, the Government of the United Kingdom announced that the reintroduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill was an early priority for the Government in the forthcoming session.
Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said:
“Today’s announcement puts us in pole position to be the first country in the world to end smoking. Smoking puts pressure on our NHS and social care system, but the greatest financial impact is the damage to our economy due to lost productivity. The measures announced today will play a major role in helping government achieve its ambition to halve the difference in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions, and deliver productivity growth in every part of the country.”
Read the full Press Release here.
The JATC published a new Tobacco Endgame Toolkit
JATC-2 is releasing a series of reports on tobacco control and emerging products, providing valuable insights for national-level initiatives. Keep an eye out for these resources to support your work in public health and policy development.
Access the toolkit here.
The Health Funds for a Smokefree Netherlands released an article on the impact of smoking in the country
The Health Funds for a Smokefree Netherlands has commissioned a mapping of the number of people affected by chronic illnesses due to smoking in the Netherlands. The study shows that a total of 672,000 people are affected by severe conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cancer, and cardiovascular diseases resulting from tobacco use. This number is equivalent to the population of a major city like Rotterdam. These figures highlight the significant health impact of smoking and underscore the necessity of initiatives like the Smoke-Free Generation, which aims to create a smoke-free future and protect future generations from the harmful effects of tobacco.