Tobacco Taxes: Good for Public Health, Good for Fiscal Revenues

This is a non-CGD event and will take place at the World Bank

Featuring

William Savedoff, Senior Fellow, Center for Global Development

Tobacco kills more people each year than HIV/AIDs, malaria and TB combined. The number of smokers is rising in developing countries and will contribute to 1 billion premature deaths in this century unless countries implement well-known, cost-effective tobacco control policies, including higher tobacco taxes. Such taxes not only save lives but also increase revenues and reduce poverty among households whose members quit smoking.

Savedoff will summarize important facts related to tobacco consumption in developing countries, the effectiveness of tobacco taxation, and common objections to raising tobacco taxes. He will conclude by describing “smart” tobacco taxes and the kinds of support international organizations could provide to promote effective tobacco tax increases.