Options for Tobacco Taxation in Afghanistan
This paper presents options for tobacco taxation to reduce tobacco consumption and increase financing for health programs in Afghanistan. Tobacco consumption is compromising the health of the Afghan population, particularly the poor. Lowering tobac...
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| Language: | English |
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World Bank, Washington, DC
2019
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/738411561656011686/Options-for-Tobacco-Taxation-in-Afghanistan http://hdl.handle.net/10986/32070 |
| Summary: | This paper presents options for tobacco
taxation to reduce tobacco consumption and increase
financing for health programs in Afghanistan. Tobacco
consumption is compromising the health of the Afghan
population, particularly the poor. Lowering tobacco
consumption would help progress towards Universal Health
Coverage by reducing the tobacco-related burden of disease
(mortality and morbidity). This paper presents policy
options for the Government of Afghanistan to reduce tobacco
consumption and improve health outcomes. Tobacco taxation
could serve the dual purpose of reducing consumption and
generating additional tax revenue to spend on healthcare for
the poor. Increasing total taxes to 46 percent of the import
price is estimated to generate USD 19.7 million of
additional tax revenue per year while reducing domestic
consumption of cigarettes by at least 5 percent. This paper
has five sections. The first section analyzes tobacco
consumption in Afghanistan by socioeconomic and demographic
characteristics. The second section describes the burden of
disease associated with tobacco and its effect on health at
the provincial level. The third section discusses current
policies of tobacco control and current practices of tobacco
pricing and taxation, including a brief overview of the
complex relationship between government and private
stakeholders. The fourth section discusses options for
tobacco taxation in Afghanistan. The final section applies a
simulation model to estimate health and revenue outcomes of
additional tobacco taxation. |
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