Taxation & smuggling

Increasing tobacco tax encourages people to give up smoking or never start in the first place and raises revenue for the Treasury - reducing the need for taxes on jobs and investment. High tobacco tax is a good health and economic policy and recommended by the World Bank.

Tobacco smuggling and sales of illicit tobacco at reduced prices on the black market undermines the use of taxes as a means of creating a price incentive not to smoke.

Therefore taxation of tobacco and initiatives that tackle tobacco smuggling are important tobacco control levers to reduce smoking and protect public health.