World No Tobacco day, heavy tax control is the most effective way

China News agency, Beijing, May 30 (reporter Dingdong) May 31 is the 27th World No Tobacco Day, this year's theme is "Increase tobacco tax", at present, the Chinese tobacco tax rate accounted for only about 40% of the retail price, far lower than most countries about 65% of the level. Experts called for "heavy tax control of tobacco" has become the most effective way to control tobacco, China should increase the tobacco tax rate and other economic means to curb consumption demand.

On the eve of world No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organization revealed figures showing that cigarette prices were up 10%, demand for cigarettes in low-and middle-income countries would fall by 2% to 8%, adult smokers who gave up smoking increased by 3.7%, and teens who gave up smoking increased by 9.3%. The group called on members to significantly raise taxes on tobacco to reduce the number of smokers and the health risks associated with smoking.

"International experience shows that raising the tobacco tax is the ' best value for money ' control strategy: it can effectively reduce tobacco use and increase government revenues, but it has little short-term impact on the tobacco industry," Yang, the former deputy director of CDC, said the ideal tobacco tax should account for 67% to 80% of the retail price. "

It is understood that China's neighboring countries and regions are also gradually increasing the tobacco tax rate, the current tobacco tax rate of 75%, Thailand for 79%, India for 72%, Singapore for 64%, Japan 61%, and China's current tobacco tax rate is about 43.4%, far below the global average level.

Experts said that although the Chinese government in 2009 adjusted the tobacco consumption tax policy, but in addition to a very small number of expensive cigarettes, other cigarette prices have not changed, "tax adjustment" does not have a real impact on tobacco consumers.

In addition, as China's high-end cigarette consumption plummeted, middle and low tobacco consumption groups, especially minors become the target of tobacco sales. The relatively low price of cigarettes is one of the reasons teenagers can easily get in touch with tobacco.

A new survey shows that China's 13-15-year-old students in the junior secondary school smoking rate of 6.4%, 10 boys have one smoking, some provinces junior high school students tobacco use rate of up to 20% or so.

It is estimated that cigarette consumption tax can be increased twice times, cigarette retail price can be increased by about 1 time times, and cigarette consumption will reduce at least 30%, but also increase national tax. Relevant experts believe that "tax control" can increase revenue, but also reduce the population of tobacco consumption, for the high price compliance of young people, meaning greater, with "stone" effect. Finish)