50% hike in cigarette rates would avoid 40 lakh deaths in India
Agencies: New Delhi , Nov 14 2012, 22:01 IST
a relatively small part of the extra tax burdens, but reap a substantial proportion of the health benefits of reduced smoking.
The ratio of health benefits accrued to the poor to the extra taxes borne by the poor ranges from 1.4 to 9.5.
"Thus, large increases in the cigarette tax in all of these countries are unusually attractive for public health and public finance, and are pro-poor in their health benefits."
The report further said that Indian male smokers can expect to lose a full decade of life and most lives are lost are at the most productive age of 30-69 years, rather than advanced age.
As per its estimates there are 4.45 crore male while 32.6 lakh females smokers in the country.
"In India, the low SES (socioeconomic status) group would account for 30 per cent of marginal taxes paid, but 47 per cent of smoking deaths averted," it said.
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