GCC backs higher taxes on tobacco

(MENAFN- Arab News) JEDDAH/RIYADH: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has endorsed a call by the World Health Organization (WHO) to raise taxes on tobacco in a bid to save more lives.

Tawfiq Khoja director of the GCC Council of Health Ministers said the money raised from taxes can pay for better health services and support efforts to prevent people from taking up the habit a local publication reported Wednesday.
He said studies have shown that an increase in taxes is the most successful way to limit tobacco use among people in low-income categories and stop young people from becoming addicted.
A tax increase of 10 percent in high-income countries has seen a 4 percent reduction in tobacco use. There was an 8 percent reduction in low- and middle-income countries said Khoja.
Khoja said Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has already issued a royal decree to help curb smoking in the country. He said the GCC Council of Health Ministers passed more than 45 anti-smoking regulations and held 15 workshops on the dangers of tobacco use.
Recently the Kingdom banned tobacco use at all its airports with a fine for violators. Another decision was taken banning the sale of tobacco products to young people under 18. Smoking is also prohibited at all the country's universities.
Saudi Arabia ranks fourth in the world in terms of tobacco imports and consumption. More than 15 billion cigarettes worth $168 million are smoked by Saudis a year according to figures from the GCC Council of Health Ministers.
In its call on Tuesday the WHO urged its member countries to increase taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products. Few governments levy appropriate levels of tax on these products it said in a report.
'Although 33 countries impose taxes that represent more than 75 percent of the retail price of a packet of cigarettes many countries have extremely low tax rates. Some have no special tax on tobacco products at all' it stated.