Tobacco Taxes: A Win-Win Measure for Fiscal Space and Health

Abstract

This study analyzes the potential fiscal, health, and poverty impacts of increasing cigarette taxes in five countries —the People’s Republic of China, India, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam. For each of these countries, increasing taxes on cigarettes would result in substantially fewer long-term smokers and a reduction in premature deaths from tobacco-related diseases, while increasing tax revenues. The poorest groups in each country only bear a small part of the extra tax burdens, but do reap a substantial proportion of the health benefits of reduced smoking.