Framework Convention On Tobacco Control Research Articles

Critical analysis of tobacco taxation policies in Pakistan after two decades of FCTC: Policy gaps and lessons for low- and middle-income countries.

Tobacco taxation remains a poorly used intervention to control tobacco use in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) including Pakistan even after two decades of FCTC adoption. This study identifies gaps and implementation challenges in the current Tobacco Taxation and Pricing Policies (TTPP) in Pakistan, and highlights key policy implications and lessons for LMICs to strengthen tobacco control measures. We used qualitative document analysis to examine the policy documents to assess the TTPP against the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) guidelines for the implementation of Article 6 of the FCTC. In addition, we used secondary data on tobacco tax and prices to assess the impact of TTPP on tobacco affordability in the country. Although Pakistan taxes raw tobacco, cigarettes and other tobacco products (cigarillos, cigars, cheroots), the existing TTPP falls below the WHO FCTC requirements of: uniform tax level, simple tax structure and 70% share of excise tax in the price of a product's pack; among others. There are also multiple issues in tobacco tax administration such as lack of monitoring. This is leading to the availability of highly affordable tobacco products in the country. Pakistan does not have a clear strategy on using tobacco taxation and prices as a public health tool in the country. Existing TTPP face dual issues of flawed structure and poor administration translating into highly affordable tobacco products and low revenues in the country. There is a need to introduce multisectoral tobacco control policies in countries like Pakistan in the context of the tobacco sector political economy.

Air Pollution inside Vehicles: Making a Bad Situation Worse.

Thailand has successfully forwarded Article 8, Protection from Exposure to Tobacco Smoke, of the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). It achieved its 100% smoke-free goals in public places in 2010, next pursuing other bans in outdoor places to lower particulate matter air pollution (PM2.5). Our aim was to expose the secondhand smoke levels in vehicles since SHS is a danger to everyone, but especially to children and youth. This is the first experimental study of its kind in Thailand. We measured PM2.5 for 20 min under four conditions in 10 typical Thai vehicles, including commonly used sedans and small pickup trucks. We used an established protocol with two real-time air monitoring instruments to record PM2.5 increases with different vehicle air exchange and air conditioning conditions. Monitoring was recorded in the vehicle's front and back seats. The most common Thai ventilation condition is all windows closed with fan/air conditioning (AC) in operation because of Thai tropical conditions. Mean exposure levels were three and nearly five times (49 and 72 μg/m3) the 24 h WHO standard of 15 μg/m3 in the back and front seats, respectively. These high PM2.5 exposure levels warrant action to limit vehicle smoking for public health protection.

The Challenges of Tobacco Fiscal Policy Implementation in Mexico From the Perspective of Key Actors.

Raising tobacco taxes is considered the most effective strategy to avoid smoking initiation and discourage its use, especially among vulnerable groups. However, few low- and middle-income countries have adopted high tobacco taxes. Raising taxes is, therefore, an opportunity to strengthen and accelerate tobacco control. The objective of this study is to analyze the barriers and facilitators to the tobacco tax increase in Mexico. Based on the Governance Analytical Framework, data were generated through 17 in-depth interviews with key intersectoral actors for fiscal policy. The interviews were transcribed and coded according to Hufty's theory of governance. Robust scientific evidence, intersectoral coordination, and the presence of "champions" boosted progress in tobacco control (facilitators). The main barriers were the incomplete implementation of the World Health Organization-Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) and MPOWER package and lack of commitment ("political will") by government decision makers and legislators, misinformation about the effects of tobacco taxes, and strong tobacco industry interference. Robust evidence is necessary but not sufficient to advance the implementation of the MPOWER (WHO-FCTC) actions. To achieve tobacco tax increases and public policies that protect people from unhealthy products in general, the implementation of policies or legal frameworks against industry interference in the development of public policies is imperative. By analyzing the barriers and facilitators to increasing the tobacco tax in Mexico, this study identifies two key messages: (1) The need to sensitize legislators and the general population to the problem of smoking not only through epidemiological data but also through testimonies that highlight the life experiences and adversities faced by people who smoke. (2) The need for a regulatory framework to prevent industry interference in public affairs and conflicts of interest. The same framework could be very useful for public health policies to control the consumption of ultra-processed food products or alcohol.

Commentary] The WHO strategies to reduce tobacco-related deaths are insufficient

The World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) aims to combat global tobacco-related deaths. While it has reduced smoking in some regions, its overall effectiveness is debated, especially regarding alternative nicotine products like e-cigarettes and Swedish snus. Although the WHO views these as threats, evidence suggests they could aid harm reduction. With differing smoking trends in various countries and emerging evidence supporting alternatives, the upcoming 10th Conference of the Parties (COP10) in Panama represents a crucial juncture to reassess and potentially redefine global tobacco control strategies.

Capacity of enforcers and level of enforcement of the Tobacco Control Act 2015 in Kampala, Uganda.

Tobacco use is a leading cause of preventable deaths worldwide. Uganda enacted the Tobacco Control Act (TCA) 2015 to domesticate implementation of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) regulations. This study assessed the capacity to enforce the TCA and associated factors, as well as the level and barriers to its enforcement in Kampala, Uganda. A cross-sectional study using both quantitative and qualitative methods was employed. A structured questionnaire was used for quantitative data collection, and a WHO adapted capacity assessment open-ended guide was used for key informant interviews. Multivariable logistic regression was used to obtain odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the independent predictors for capacity to enforce the TCA. A total of 162 respondents from 5 institutions and six key informants were involved in the study. Findings established that only 23% (37/162) of the enforcers had the capacity to enforce the TCA. Male enforcers [OR = 0.16, 95% CI (0.05-0.55)], those who did not know when the law was enacted [OR = 0.19, 95% CI (0.07-0.52)], those with no plans to enforce the law [OR = 0.22, 95% CI (0.05-0.93)], and older enforcers (aged 31-40 years) [OR = 0.27, 95% CI (0.09-0.81)] were less likely to have the capacity to enforce the TCA. The level of enforcement of the TCA was mainly low to moderate for most of the institutions mandated to enforce it. Lack of knowledge about the law amongst the enforcers and general public, and inadequate funds were reported as major barriers to enforcement of the TCA. The capacity to enforce the TCA in Kampala was low. There is potential to enhance the capacity of enforcers through further dissemination of the Act, as well as sensitization of enforcers, institutional managers, and the general public about the legislation.

Building On Success in Tobacco Control: A Roadmap Towards Tobacco-Free Oman (Perspective Review)

Tobacco use remains a leading cause of harm to public health. Despite nearly two decades of ratifying the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), Oman is still striving to achieve the best practice approach in different FCTC measures. Current epidemiological data shows that the prevalence of tobacco use among adults in Oman is steadily increasing with time. This review highlights the progress that has been made in the various FCTC measures, as well as how Oman has the possibility to attain the best practice approach in the various FCTC measures, and even go beyond that by implementing policies that have the potential to achieve a tobacco-free Oman by 2040.

Menthol and Other Flavor Chemicals in Cigarettes from Vietnam and the Philippines.

Tobacco product flavors can increase product appeal, adolescent initiation and experimentation, and difficulty quitting. Flavored tobacco products are not restricted in Vietnam or the Philippines despite the high smoking prevalence among those 15 years of age and older (24% and 23%, respectively). There are no published reports to our knowledge on the levels of flavor chemicals in the cigarettes sold in these two countries. Cigarettes were purchased in Vietnam (32 brand variants) and the Philippines (19 brand variants) during 2020. Chemical analyses gave the mg/filter, mg/rod, and mg/stick (= mg/(filter + rod)) values for 180 individual flavor chemicals. Values were calculated for menthol, clove-related compounds, and "other flavor chemicals" (OFCs). Five flavor groupings were found among the brand variants purchased in Vietnam: menthol + OFCs (n = 15), OFCs only (n = 8), nonflavored (n = 7), menthol + OFCs with a clove flavorant (n = 1) and menthol only (n = 1). Three flavor groupings were found among the brand variants purchased in the Philippines: menthol + OFCs (n = 10), nonflavored (n = 5), and menthol only (n = 4). A range of flavored cigarette products are being offered by tobacco companies in Vietnam and the Philippines, presumably to maximize cigarette sales. Regulation of flavor chemicals should be considered in these two countries. Article 9 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), ratified by both Vietnam and the Philippines, states that "there is no justification for permitting the use of ingredients, such as flavoring agents, which help make tobacco products attractive." Flavors increase product appeal, adolescent initiation and experimentation, and difficulty quitting. These analyses found that cigarettes purchased in Vietnam and the Philippines contained menthol and other flavor chemicals. Tobacco companies are offering multiple flavor chemical profiles and nominally nonflavored versions in these countries; regulation of flavor chemicals should be considered in these two countries.

Advocacy counterstrategies to tobacco industry interference in policymaking: a scoping review of peer-reviewed literature

BackgroundThere has been remarkable tobacco control progress in many places around the globe. Tobacco industry interference (TII) has been identified as the most significant barrier to further implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). Civil society has been recognised as a key actor in countering TII. While TII has been extensively studied for several decades now, there is little research that focuses on counteractions to limit it and their effectiveness to do so. This scoping review seeks to map the peer-reviewed literature on civil society’s activities of countering TII in policymaking to identify common counterstrategies and assess their effectiveness.MethodsData sources: We searched Embase, IBSS, JSTOR, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Web of Science using the following terms: (“Tobacco industry” OR “Tobacco compan*”) AND. (“corporate political activity” OR “CPA” OR “lobbying” OR “interference”) AND (“advoca*” OR “counter*” OR “activi*”), without time or language restrictions. Study selection: Our selection criteria included peer-reviewed studies that were written in English, German, or Spanish that drew on primary data and/or legal and policy documents and reported at least one specific example of civil society members or organisations countering tobacco industry action-based strategies. Data extraction: Advocates’ counterstrategies were analysed inductively and countered industry strategies were analysed using the Policy Dystopia Model (PDM). Perceptions of effectiveness of countering attempts were analysed descriptively.ResultsWe found five common counterstrategies among 30 included papers covering five WHO regions; 1. Exposing industry conduct and false claims; 2. Accessing decision-makers; 3. Generating and using evidence; 4. Filing a complaint or taking legal action; 5. Mobilising coalition and potential supporters. These counterstrategies were used to work against a wide range of industry strategies, which are captured by five action-based strategies described in the PDM (Coalition Management, Information Management, Direct Access and Influence, Litigation, Reputation Management). While some studies reported the outcome of the countering activities, their impact remained largely underexplored.ConclusionThe review shows that peer-reviewed literature documenting how civil society actors counter TII is scarce. It suggests that advocates employ a range of strategies to counter TII in its different forms and use them flexibly. More work is needed to better understand the effects of their actions. This could stimulate discussions about, and facilitate learning from, past experiences and help to further enhance advocates’ capacity.

Diverse e-cigarette regulations in the Asia Pacific: A health economic perspective.

Diverse e-cigarette regulations in the Asia Pacific: A health economic perspective.

Plain Packaging in Tobacco Control: A Bibliometric Analysis.

The tobacco epidemic is affecting 8 million people with 1.2 million deaths worldwide. The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) was adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) Member States in 2003 to counter the growing tobacco menace. Articles 11 and 13 of WHO FCTC suggest plain packaging of tobacco products to reduce the visibility and make tobacco products look less attractive. The current bibliometric analysis was conducted to analyze the visibility and impact of the scientific productions contributing to plain packaging globally. The bibliometric analysis allowed a quantitative analysis of all scientific publications indexed in Scopus. The sample was defined using the keywords "plain packaging OR standardized packaging" AND "tobacco." Five broad bibliometric domains were assessed for analysis: namely, scientific production, authors, sources or journals, countries, and thematic areas using R programming v4.2.2 and VOSviewer. The total number of documents published regarding plain packaging in tobacco control from 1992 till mid-2022 was determined. Australia tops the list with 99 publications, followed by the United Kingdom, United States, New Zealand, Canada, France, India, Netherlands, Spain, and Egypt. The author citation network showcases the link between the 21 top documents, with a minimum of 50 citations per document. The two main indicators assessed were the total number of articles published in the journal and the h index. Bibliometric indicators in this study illustrated that scientific publications/efforts to implement the WHO FCTC guideline concerning plain packing laws were neglected in most countries.

The 20th anniversary of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: hard won progress amid evolving challenges

World No Tobacco Day on May 31, 2023, marks the 20th anniversary of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Adopted in May, 2003, member states committed to stem an alarming rise in tobacco-related deaths worldwide, predicted to rise from 5 million to 10 million deaths by 2020 if no action was taken. 1 WHOWorld Health Assembly adopts historic tobacco control pact. https://www.who.int/news/item/21-05-2003-world-health-assembly-adopts-historic-tobacco-control-pactDate: May 21, 2003 Date accessed: May 22, 2023 Google Scholar In 2021, about 8 million deaths were attributable to tobacco use. 2 Vital StrategiesTobacco atlas, 7th edition. https://tobaccoatlas.org/Date: 2021 Date accessed: May 22, 2023 Google Scholar Although still unacceptably high, despite a 1·7 billion rise in global population, this burden of tobacco deaths was a 40% lower increase than projected before the introduction of the FCTC. Proposed to WHO in 1995 by scholars Ruth Roemer, Allyn Taylor, 3 Roemer R Taylor A Lariviere J Origins of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Am J Public Health. 2005; 95: 936-938 Crossref PubMed Scopus (130) Google Scholar and their colleagues, supported by civil society, underpinned by World Bank analysis, 4 Jha P Chaloupka F Curbing the epidemic, governments and the economics of tobacco control. World Bank, Washington, DC1999 Google Scholar legitimised by revelations from internal tobacco industry documents, 5 National Association of Attorneys GeneralThe Master Settlement Agreement. https://www.naag.org/our-work/naag-center-for-tobacco-and-public-health/the-master-settlement-agreement/#:~:text=Under%20the%20MSA%2C%20tobacco%20manufacturers,certain%20such%20payments%20are%20madeDate accessed: May 22, 2023 Google Scholar and championed by the WHO Director-General at the time Gro Harlem Brundtland, the FCTC is the first and only treaty to be negotiated to date under the auspices of WHO. It became one of the most widely embraced treaties in UN history: 182 states parties have acceded to the treaty, covering more than 90% of the world's population.

The role of principled engagement in public health policymaking: the case of Zambia’s prolonged efforts to develop a comprehensive tobacco control policy

ABSTRACT Background The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) requires countries to develop and implement multi-sectoral tobacco control strategies, including policies and legislation. Zambia, potentially faced by a rising problem of tobacco smoking, signed the FCTC in 2008 but has been unable to enact a tobacco policy for over a decade. Objective This study explores the role of ‘principled engagement’, a key element of the theoretical framework for collaborative governance, in Zambia’s delayed success to develop a comprehensive tobacco control policy. Methods This was a qualitative case study of key stakeholders in the collaborative process of trying to develop a tobacco policy in Zambia. Participan-ts were sampled from across various sectors, including government departments and civil society, comprising anti-tobacco activists and researchers. A total of 27 key informant interviews were undertaken. We supplemented the interview data with a document review of relevant policies and legislation. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results Several factors hindered efforts to attain principled engagement, including the adverse legal and socioeconomic environment in which the collaborative regime evolves; poor planning of meetings and frequent changes in tobacco focal point persons; lack of active and meaningful participation; and communication challenges among the key stakeholders. These collaborative dynamics, coupled with the opposition to tobacco control efforts from within some government departments, revealed the inadequacy of the current collaborative governance regime to facilitate enactment of a comprehensive tobacco control policy in Zambia. Conclusion Efforts to develop a comprehensive tobacco control policy in Zambia will require addressing challenges such as disagreements, communication, and leadership at engagement level across interested sectors. We further argue that principled engagement has a greater role to play in unlocking these efforts and should therefore be embraced by those entrusted to lead the process to develop tobacco policy in Zambia.

Cigarette health warning label compliance in Nigeria: A multi-city observational study.

Tobacco remains the world's leading preventable cause of death, with the majority of tobacco-caused deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. The first global health treaty, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), outlines a set of policy initiatives that have been demonstrated as effective in reducing tobacco use. Article 11 of the FCTC focuses on using the tobacco package to communicate tobacco-caused harms; it also seeks to restrict the delivery of misleading information on the pack about the product.The objective of his study is to establish a surveillance system for tobacco packs in Nigeria to assess pack compliance with in-country health warning label requirements. The Tobacco Pack Surveillance System (TPackSS) monitors whether required health warnings on tobacco packages are being implemented as intended and identifies pack designs that might violate the communication of harm-related information and undermine the impact of the country's tobacco packaging laws. Tobacco cigarette packs were collected in three cities in 2019-2020. The intention was, to the extent possible, to construct a census of 'unique' pack presentations available for purchase in Nigeria. We implemented the TPackSS standardized Protocol for acquiring packs from 36 diverse neighborhoods across three cities. At the time of purchase, data on the price and place of acquisition of each pack were recorded. We photographed packs, coded, and archived them. Each pack was coded for compliance according to the current health warning label laws. Each pack was coded by two independent coders consistently. We routinely measured intercoder reliability and only retained variables for which a good level of reliability was achieved. Across the three cities in Nigeria, the team collected 90 tobacco packs. Overall, 77% of packs evaluated for HWL compliance complied with all the relevant common indicators of HWL compliance. There was a 92% compliance with the location of the HWL (e.g. top or bottom of pack, front or back panel) with in-country requirements. Of the four compliance indicators, the size of the HWL (the minimum required coverage) showed the lowest compliance (31%) (i.e. the HWL was too small on most of the packs). Label elements (such as color contrast or content of warnings) showed 85% compliance overall. The analysis of the packs showed various levels of compliance with Health Warning Label provisions for Nigeria. Periodic evaluations are required to ensure that minimum requirements are met.

Smoking: Quit to win.

The Winners of ‘Quit to Win’ Smoke-free Community Campaign organized by the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health. Translation of banner text: ‘13th Quit to Win Smoke-free Community Campaign Prize Presentation Ceremony’. (Image source: Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health, with permission). In 2019, there were 1.14 billion current smokers globally, and they consumed 7.41 trillion cigarette-equivalents of tobacco (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673621011697). Smoking rates are high in some parts of Asia. China, India and Indonesia comprised 46% of the world's smokers in 2020 (https://www.statista.com/chart/24965/share-of-smokers-and-world-population-by-country/). Since early 1960, the detrimental impact of smoking on physical health and well-being has been reported worldwide. Smoking can damage nearly every human organ and lead to various diseases and disabilities, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Smoking is harmful not only to the human body, but also the society and the economy. In 2012, the cost of diseases caused by smoking equated to 5.7% of global health expenditure and 1.8% of global gross domestic product (GPD; https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/27/1/58.long). Globally, 7.69 million deaths and 200 million disability-adjusted life-years (DALY) were related to smoking tobacco in 2019 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673621011697). The World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) opened for signature in 2003, and this treaty has been signed by 182 countries, covering more than 90% of the world population, making it one of the most widely embraced treaties in the United Nations' history. Various strategies have been advocated for tobacco control, and examples are price and tax measures to reduce the demand for tobacco and non-price measures, such as packaging and labelling of tobacco products; education, communication, training and public awareness; policies on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. Comprehensive tobacco control policies effectively reduce smoking prevalence, and the positive effects are amplified when multiple measures are implemented simultaneously at the same place (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-01210-8). With the substantial effort on tobacco control, from 1990 to 2019, there was a decline in the smoking-attributable mortality for both males and females in some countries such as China, Japan, the UK and the US (https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2022.1605147/full). The effort to curtail the tobacco epidemic should be continued. At the regional level, the Asia Pacific Society of Respirology has recently added a new section on ‘Tobacco Control’ under the Environmental & Occupational Health and Epidemiology Assembly. It is anticipated that this can help to drive concerted efforts in the region on tobacco control. In my local community in Hong Kong, there is a recent 31% tax hike in tobacco smoking sales. It is gratifying to see the local effort for education and encouragement of smoking cessation. When attending the local campaign on tobacco control, I was touched by the stories shared by the quitters as their behavioural change positively impacts their community, family and personal life. None declared.

Discourse on Human Rights Issues and Public Policy Context: Prospect of Indonesia Tobacco Control Regulation

The efforts on tobacco control are based on two main philosophies which are focused on human rights and the economy. This is observed for every country that is willing to reduce tobacco consumption and slightly ensure prosperity at the same time. It is being discussed in the international community that some countries are not a party to FCTC (Framework Convention on Tobacco Control) but have a domestic regulatory system for tobacco or are committed to implementing other obligations based on international norms at the minimum. This research specifically examined institutions and rules besides politics and judiciary enforcement in tobacco control regulation through the application of comparative and system approaches within the legal political context and a qualitative method. It was discovered that Indonesia has the ability to deliberate domestic regulatory systems to combat and reduce tobacco use despite the strong interference by tobacco industries and markets that are approaching legislatures, politicians, or executive apparatus to create different institutional interests. This usually leads to a mixture of verdict and judgment for the judiciary and legal enforcement.

Implementation of the Article 13 of the WHO FCTC and prevention of youth e-cigarette use

Implementation of the Article 13 of the WHO FCTC and prevention of youth e-cigarette use

Progress, Gaps, and Tobacco Industry Opposition to Tobacco Advertising, Promotion, and Sponsorship Bans in the World Health Organization African Region.

Although the African Region (AFRO) has the lowest smoking prevalence by World Health Organization region, the prevalence rate is expected to grow from 15.8% in 2010 to 21.9% in 2030 based on 2010 levels, the largest projected increase in the world.1 A key reason for this upsurge is that tobacco companies aggressively market in AFRO to recruit new tobacco users, especially youth.2 To combat this, the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)’s Article 13 and its Guidelines ­recommend prohibiting all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship (TAPS).3 While there is robust literature on tobacco industry marketing in Africa,4 there is scarce research to date assessing TAPS, including only one 2011 regional analysis of TAPS policies in AFRO.5 Given these gaps and the lack of TAPS implementation data available, the goal of this review was to assess the progress of TAPS policies adopted and to discuss efforts to overcome barriers to pass and implement TAPS bans in AFRO.

An ecological study on MPOWER and smoking prevalence rate by Tobacco control law

Objectives: The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is the first international convention in the public health field. This study examines whether countries have maximized the effectiveness of tobacco regulation by appropriately utilizing measures to reduce tobacco consumption and smoking rates. It studies the effectiveness of Tobacco control law policies in various countries. Methods: Using ecological and descriptive correlation, this study attempted to verify the correlation between the Tobacco control law, the measures that help countries reduce the demand for tobacco (MPOWER) and the smoking rate. Results: It was found that the Tobacco control law was related to lower smoking rates and higher levels of implementation of the MPOWER policy. The results showed that the performance of related MPOWER policies increased according to the category of the Tobacco control law. Conclusion: FCTC measures to reduce tobacco use are effective. Enacting and strengthening comprehensive Tobacco control laws is necessary for implementing more effective tobacco control policies.

Taxation formula for tobacco in Sri Lanka

Article 06 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco control emphasizes the importance of implementing effective tax and price policies for Tobacco products. To fight against the Tobacco epidemic WHO has introduced the MPOWER package which R stands for raising taxes on Tobacco. According to WHO standards, 70% of the excise tax from the retail price will contribute to an effective Tobacco tax indexation policy. National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol organized Tobacco Taxation and Illicit Trade virtual workshop with the collaboration of WHO FCTC Knowledge Hub on Tobacco Taxation, Research Unit on the Economics of Excisable Products, University of Cape Town. The developed Tobacco tax indexation formula of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol was modified by including exogenous factor with the guidance of experts of WHO FCTC Secretariat Knowledge Hub on tobacco taxation. Tobacco tax simulation modeling can be used to predict how much tobacco consumption will decrease, and government revenue will increase if there is a change in the tobacco excise tax structure and an increase in the level of taxation. Preliminary evidence from the TETSiM model predicts that a 91.6 to 124.6 billion increase in tobacco excise taxation from the current 2022 to 2026 would lead to a 1.1 % drop in consumption and approximately 101.8 to 136.9 billion increases in government revenue. The finding of the modeling of Tobacco taxes with the TETSiM model will lead to an increase in Tobacco tax revenue and decrease Tobacco consumption in Sri Lanka.

How do current tobacco warnings compare to the WHO FCTC guidelines: a content analysis of combustible tobacco warnings worldwide

ObjectiveMany countries have adopted warning labels for combustible tobacco products, yet little research exists describing tobacco warning characteristics globally and to what extent they meet the WHO Framework Convention for...