Tax policy is an effective tool to reduce tobacco consumption.

(Chinhphu.vn) - Every year in our country, more than 100,000 people die from tobacco-related diseases, of which nearly 19,000 deaths are due to exposure to secondhand smoke. Increasing taxes and implementing tax increases early are effective tools to reduce tobacco consumption.

Online discussion "Increasing tobacco tax - dual benefits for budget and health" held on June 5 - Photo: VGP/HM

This information was shared by experts at the online seminar "Increasing tobacco tax - Dual benefits for the budget and health", organized by Dan Tri Newspaper on June 5.

At the workshop, Professor Nguyen Anh Tri, former Director of the Central Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, National Assembly delegate of Hanoi City, affirmed that cigarettes not only directly affect the health of users but are also dangerous for those who inhale secondhand smoke.

"Cigarettes have a huge impact on women's nervous systems. There have been recorded cases where the harmful effects of cigarettes can cause fetal malformations when the mother inhales secondhand smoke. For children, cigarettes create a bad habit from an early age. When they grow up, they will easily accept the bad habit of smoking, which affects their health in the long term and they will not care about the people around them..." said Professor Nguyen Anh Tri.

According to experts, cigarettes are easily accessible to young people, largely due to their low prices. From 2022 to 2023, total cigarette production in Vietnam increased by more than 10%. Studies estimate that tobacco use causes Vietnam to lose more than VND108,000 billion each year.

Cigarettes are too cheap

Dr. Nguyen Huy Quang, Head of the Consulting, Criticism and Social Appraisal Board, Vietnam Medical Association, said that the WHO said that compared to ASEAN countries, the retail price of cigarettes in Vietnam is low, while the price of cigarettes in Thailand and Indonesia is much higher than in our country.

"A pack of cigarettes costs only about 10,000 VND, commonly 7,000 - 8,000 VND. This is the reason why many people have easy access to this toxic substance, especially teenagers and the poor.

We do not trade health for economic benefits, nor for the environment. Therefore, we should implement the plan to increase cigarette tax from 2026 to 5,000 VND/pack, and increase to 15,000 VND/pack by 2030. At that time, we will reduce about 2.5 million smokers, while increasing budget revenue," said Mr. Nguyen Huy Quang.

Ms. Sarah Bales, an expert from the Vietnam Health Economics Association, also said that increasing taxes will create a "push" that will force smokers to reconsider their consumption behavior to ensure their health.

They may not immediately feel the health effects of cigarettes, but if cigarette prices increase sharply, they will immediately see the daily financial impact and will proactively adjust their behavior.

Observing many countries that have increased taxes on this item, Ms. Sarah Bales affirmed that the economy has not declined because of this action, on the contrary, it has saved a lot of medical costs.

WHO and the World Bank assess that price and tax policies are the most effective tools to reduce tobacco consumption, especially among adolescents.

Hien Minh

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/chinh-sach-thue-la-cong-cu-huu-hieu-de-giam-tieu-thu-thuoc-la-102250605163849501.htm