Taxation & smuggling

Increasing taxes on tobacco encourages people to give up smoking or dissuades them from starting in the first place.  Tobacco tax raises revenue for the Treasury thus reducing the need for taxes on jobs and investment. High tobacco tax, which is recommended by the World Bank, is recognised as a good health and economic policy.

Tobacco smuggling and sales of illicit tobacco at reduced prices on the black market undermine 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.

 

• Taxation

  Why raising the tax on tobacco products is an important public health measure creating a further incentive not to smoke.

• Smuggling

  Explore the problems created by tobacco smuggling in the UK and internationally.

• Economic Research and Links

  Links to information sources with an economic focus.