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Increase in illicit cigarette consumption in Brazil According to a new study, illicit trade and consumption of cigarettes in Brazil has increased substantially in recent years, despite a reduction in smoking prevalence, as a result of the government’s initiatives to increase tobacco taxes. Tobacco use has decreased substantially—from 34% to 15% between 1989 and 2013—thanks to various initiatives adopted by the government since 1986. Several tobacco tax policies have been implemented: between 2008 and 2014, the price of cigarettes in Brazil rose by 146%, and two-thirds of that price increase was attributed to an increase in tobacco tax. Roberto Magno Iglesias and colleagues hypothesise that the increase in cigarette price might have contributed to the increase in illicit cigarette consumption, particularly in the lower-income population. The researchers analysed data
from two nationally representative household tobacco surveillance surveys and assessed the association between tax rate increases after 2008 and illicit cigarette consumption in the country between 2008 and 2013. Iglesias and colleagues noted that the unadjusted smoking prevalence decreased from 13·3% in 2008 to 10·8% in 2013. However, the total proportion of illicit cigarette consumption rose from 16·6% (95% CI 15·1–18·3) to 31·1% (28·7–33·6) in the same period. The yearly illicit cigarette consumption increased from 13·0 billion units (11·6–14·4) in 2008 to 24·3 billion units (21·8–26·8) in 2013, the researchers noted. Between 2008 and 2013, the absolute increase in illicit consumption was greatest for individuals living in rural areas and for daily smokers whose last cigarette purchase was more than a pack. Illicit cigarette consumption also increased in smokers living in
cross-border areas (from 4·7 billion units in 2008 to 8·4 billion units in 2013). “In Brazil, the strategy of raising taxes has increased government revenues, strongly reduced smoking prevalence and resulted in an increased illicit trade,” said co-author André Salem Szklo (Brazilian National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), adding that “higher smuggling rates are possible if the country is surrounded by a low tax/ price jurisdiction and law enforcement barriers against smuggling flows are not reinforced”. Joanna Cohen (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA) commented that “countries should increase their tobacco taxes so that taxes represent at least 75% of the cost of a pack of cigarettes, and they should ensure they implement effective strategies to reduce illicit trade”.
Lancet Oncol 2016 Published Online January 28, 2016 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ S1470-2045(16)00070-X For the study by Iglesias and colleagues see Tob Control Published 2016; published online Jan 21. DOI:10.1136/tobaccocontrol2015-052465
Sanjeet Bagcchi
www.thelancet.com/oncology Published online January 28, 2016 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(16)00070-X
1
Increase in illicit cigarette consumption in Brazil According to a new study, illicit trade and consumption of cigarettes in Brazil has increased substantially in recent years, despite a reduction in smoking prevalence, as a result of the government’s initiatives to increase tobacco taxes. Tobacco use has decreased substantially—from 34% to 15% between 1989 and 2013—thanks to various initiatives adopted by the government since 1986. Several tobacco tax policies have been implemented: between 2008 and 2014, the price of cigarettes in Brazil rose by 146%, and two-thirds of that price increase was attributed to an increase in tobacco tax. Roberto Magno Iglesias and colleagues hypothesise that the increase in cigarette price might have contributed to the increase in illicit cigarette consumption, particularly in the lower-income population. The researchers analysed data
from two nationally representative household tobacco surveillance surveys and assessed the association between tax rate increases after 2008 and illicit cigarette consumption in the country between 2008 and 2013. Iglesias and colleagues noted that the unadjusted smoking prevalence decreased from 13·3% in 2008 to 10·8% in 2013. However, the total proportion of illicit cigarette consumption rose from 16·6% (95% CI 15·1–18·3) to 31·1% (28·7–33·6) in the same period. The yearly illicit cigarette consumption increased from 13·0 billion units (11·6–14·4) in 2008 to 24·3 billion units (21·8–26·8) in 2013, the researchers noted. Between 2008 and 2013, the absolute increase in illicit consumption was greatest for individuals living in rural areas and for daily smokers whose last cigarette purchase was more than a pack. Illicit cigarette consumption also increased in smokers living in
cross-border areas (from 4·7 billion units in 2008 to 8·4 billion units in 2013). “In Brazil, the strategy of raising taxes has increased government revenues, strongly reduced smoking prevalence and resulted in an increased illicit trade,” said co-author André Salem Szklo (Brazilian National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), adding that “higher smuggling rates are possible if the country is surrounded by a low tax/ price jurisdiction and law enforcement barriers against smuggling flows are not reinforced”. Joanna Cohen (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA) commented that “countries should increase their tobacco taxes so that taxes represent at least 75% of the cost of a pack of cigarettes, and they should ensure they implement effective strategies to reduce illicit trade”.
Lancet Oncol 2016 Published Online January 28, 2016 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ S1470-2045(16)00070-X For the study by Iglesias and colleagues see Tob Control Published 2016; published online Jan 21. DOI:10.1136/tobaccocontrol2015-052465
Sanjeet Bagcchi
www.thelancet.com/oncology Published online January 28, 2016 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(16)00070-X
1
