WHO proves that Moro's plan to lower cigarette prices will harm the health of Brazilians.
The proposal defended by the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Sérgio Moro, to reduce the tax on cigarettes to combat smuggling goes against what experts and the World Health Organization itself advocate; the WHO states that taxes on tobacco are the most effective way to reduce its consumption, especially among young people and low-income individuals; raising the price of cigarettes by 10% reduces consumption by about 4% in developed countries and about 5% in developing countries, such as Brazil.
247 - The proposal defended by the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Sérgio Moro, to reduce the tax on cigarettes to combat smuggling goes against what experts and the World Health Organization (WHO) itself advocate.
Moro defended his proposal, arguing that combating smuggling is very difficult. "The borders are very porous; often, the people involved in cigarette smuggling don't feel involved in an illegal activity," the minister stated, justifying the need to create the Working Group that will prepare a report on the matter within 90 days.
The WHO states that taxes on tobacco are the most effective way to reduce its consumption, especially among young people and those with low incomes. Raising the price of cigarettes by 10% reduces consumption by about 4% in developed countries and about 5% in developing countries, such as Brazil.
According to Valeska Figueiredo, from the Center for Studies on Tobacco and Health at Fiocruz, interviewed in a magazine report. ExaminationIt's pointless to migrate people from the illegal cigarette market to the legal one. "This doesn't help their health at all, because they are just as harmful. It's important to keep the price high to discourage consumption," says the researcher, reiterating that it is the combustion of tobacco that causes the most damage, as it produces substances that cause cancer.