It seems complex that one of the most important measures for public health and smoking experts, increasing the price of tobacco by increasing taxes, will go ahead. At least, it no longer appears in the comprehensive plan against smoking that the Council of Ministers approved today and which, surprisingly, has disappeared from it. Health sources remind La Vanguardia that this measure that was included in the aforementioned plan depended on negotiations with the Ministry of Finance.
And what does the ministry led by María Jesús Montero say? That special taxes are never announced because they would generate hoarding of the product, in this case tobacco, which feeds the black market. “The fact that it is not in the approved plan does not prejudge that this increase will not occur,” say Treasury sources.
It remains surprising, however, that this measure disappears from the document because its wording has been present in the draft of the same as in the previous ones. Nor did it indicate a time for this increase to become effective. Specifically, the objective was set as the need to “promote the establishment of fiscal measures consisting of increasing the tax rates of products included in the objective scope of the Tax on Tobacco Products, in order to achieve an increase in prices.” of said products.” It must be remembered that this measure was one that smoking experts had had the most influence on to discourage smokers from continuing with this addiction.
According to numerous investigations, a 10% increase in the price of tobacco represents a 4% decrease in demand for the product. Added to these arguments are others provided by the researchers and reiterated on numerous occasions by the Secretary of State for Health: the health expenditure derived from tobacco triples the collection via taxes.
The scientific societies that address smoking requested an increase in taxes (which is transferred to the price) similar to what some neighboring countries are carrying out, in which packs of tobacco are between 10 and 14 euros, in a clear attempt to reduce consumption.
The plan maintains its objective: to prevent young people from starting to smoke, to help smokers who want to quit the habit and to take care of the air we breathe. To do this, it will equate the regulation of electronic cigarettes and related tobacco products (with and without nicotine) to the regulation of traditional tobacco. Increase smoke-free spaces to protect the right to breathe. “The more smoke-free space, the less space for diseases associated with smoking,” Health sources point out.
Likewise, it will ban single-use devices related to tobacco, promote research on smoking and its impact on health, strengthening evidence on the effect of new nicotine delivery devices, and collaborate with city councils to ensure that Prohibit throwing cigarette butts on public roads and natural spaces.
