At the recent FCTC COP9, delegates reported that the number of global tobacco consumers dropped from 1.32 billion in 2015 to 1.3 billion in 2020, and is expected to drop to 1.27 billion by 2025 if current trends continue. The WORLD Health Organization maintains that guidelines, including increased tobacco taxes, are responsible for the decline.
In fact, a recent WHO report says 60 countries are now on track to meet the global target of reducing tobacco use by 30% between 2010 and 2025 -- up from 32 countries in 2019.
A scientific study of tobacco taxes
Meanwhile, a recent study published in the Journal of Risk and Uncertainty looked at the impact of tax rates on traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes on adult tobacco consumption and found that tax increases on e-cigarette products were directly proportional to increases in smoking rates.
The study, titled "Effects of Tax rates on Traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes on Adult Tobacco Product Use," analyzed the impact of taxes on traditional cigarettes and e-cigarette products on patterns of use of those same products among U.S. adults. Researchers examined data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) between 2011 and 2018.
The study found evidence that higher taxes on traditional cigarettes would reduce adult smoking and increase adult e-cigarette use. Similarly, higher taxes on e-cigarettes have increased the use of traditional cigarettes and reduced e-cigarettes.
"The cross-tax effect means that the product is an economic substitute. Our findings suggest that the proposed national e-cigarette tax of $1.65 per millilitre of e-cigarette oil would increase the proportion of adults who smoke cigarettes every day by about 1 percentage point, equivalent to 2.5 million additional adult smokers per day, in contrast to the fact that there are no e-cigarettes. Taxes ", read the research abstract.
Countries following who guidance continue to struggle with higher smoking rates
In addition, a recent 59-page white paper, which discusses case studies in several countries measuring progress related to quitting, shows that those following who guidance have been struggling to cope with higher smoking rates. The title is "Vaping Works. International Best Practices: UK, New Zealand, France and Canada ", published by the Property Rights Alliance. It was developed by Christopher Snowdon (Institute of Economic Affairs, UK), Louis Houlbrooke (New Zealand Taxpayers' Alliance, New Zealand), four case studies by Patrick Coquart (IREF, France) and Professor Ian Irvine (Concordia University, Canada), and confirm what public health experts have been pointing out.
"Countries that have adopted progressive tobacco harm reduction policies are enjoying significant reductions in smoking rates. And those who follow who guidance continue to experience excessive smoking-related illness and death, "said the Asia-pacific Coalition of Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA).
Nancy Loucas, executive coordinator of CAPHRA, said it was fortunate that the release of this important data coincided with the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in November. "Ultimately, this paper demonstrates that countries that have embraced e-cigarettes, such as France, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Canada, have seen smoking rates decline twice as fast as the global average," she said.