Tobacco Taxation and Impact of Policy Reforms : Trinidad and Tobago
Evidence from across the world shows that raising taxes sharply on tobacco products, and then adjusting for inflation and increased affordability due to growing incomes, is the single most cost-effective measure to reduce tobacco consumption. A sca...
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| Format: | Report |
| Language: | English |
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World Bank, Washington, DC
2018
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/910981519316913968/Trinidad-and-Tobago-Tobacco-taxation-and-impact-of-policy-reforms http://hdl.handle.net/10986/29385 |
| Summary: | Evidence from across the world shows
that raising taxes sharply on tobacco products, and then
adjusting for inflation and increased affordability due to
growing incomes, is the single most cost-effective measure
to reduce tobacco consumption. A scaled-up and stronger
tobacco control effort is required in Trinidad and Tobago to
achieve the WHO-recommended target of at least 30 percent
reduction in smoking prevalence by 2030, which would avoid
ill health, premature mortality, and disability among
current and future smokers by the end of the 21st century.
The benefits of tobacco taxation go beyond public health. As
documented in a recent report by researchers at the
International Monetary Fund in many countries, raising
tobacco taxes can offer a "win–win": higher
revenue and positive health outcomes. While countries'
circumstances and governments weighting of revenue, health,
and other objectives vary, and hence the desirable level of
tobacco tax rates, in many cases, current tax rates are far
below what is feasible in terms of revenue potential. In the
case of Trinidad and Tobago, increasing tobacco taxes as
assessed in this report, could serve revenue purposes as
well as health and other objectives. And if the government
decides to put more weight on health objectives, it could
raise taxes even further. |
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