OPINION | SA is bleeding revenue on the black market – and it’s avoidable
As Finance Minister Tito Mboweni prepares to deliver his annual Budget this month, how he must bemoan the fiscal crater carved out by South Africa’s illegal economy. This shadowy world of illicit flows, black market trade and other nefarious tax dodging was estimated – at this time last year – to cost the fiscus R100...
Kenya: Lobby wants tobacco control laws enforced to curb rising burden of NCDs
A lobby has called on the government to come out and enforce tobacco control laws as a way of preventing the growing burden of Non-Communicable Diseases in the country. The Tobacco Control Alliance has also demanded that the Tobacco Control Fund be operationalized so as to enhance tobacco control in the country. KETCA chairman Joel Gitali...
Planet earth: another victim of the tobacco epidemic
We live in an interconnected world, a fact that has never been as clear as it is now, during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are very few issues that can be considered simply ‘health problems’, as nearly every aspect of life is connected to other societal, economic and environmental issues. That is why the 2030 Agenda...
80 per cent Indians consider tobacco to pose serious health threat: Survey
Over 80 per cent of Indians consider cigarettes, bidis and tobacco in smokeless forms to be a very serious problem and 88 per cent strongly support the strengthening of the current tobacco control law to address this menace, revealed a recent study conducted by Consumer VOICE. Consumer VOICE is a voluntary organization engaged in spreading...
New WHO report reveals urgency of confronting tobacco use among women
A new report by WHO/Europe about women and the tobacco epidemic has been launched. The report, “Through a gender lens: women and tobacco in the WHO European Region”, has revealed that, although tobacco use among women is decreasing overall, the rate is going down at a much slower pace than in men, and in...
New WHO report reveals urgency of confronting tobacco use among women
A new report by WHO/Europe about women and the tobacco epidemic has been launched. The report, “Through a gender lens: women and tobacco in the WHO European Region”, has revealed that, although tobacco use among women is decreasing overall, the rate is going down at a much slower pace than in men, and in...
Japan Tobacco warns of profit decline, to slash jobs and focus on heat sticks
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan Tobacco Inc (JT) said on Tuesday it planned to cut around 1,000 jobs and focus its efforts on winning market share in heated tobacco devices, as it forecast an unexpected slump in profit this year. The company said it expects 2021 operating profit to fall 23% to 363 billion yen ($3.46...
Nigeria records nearly 30,000 tobacco smoking-related deaths- Research
“Among the disease analysed, nearly 737,366 events are expected each year, of which 127,859 representing 17 per cent are attributable to cigarette consumption." An Abuja-based Centre for the Study of Economies of Africa (CSEA) has reported that a research it conducted had revealed that 28,876 deaths related to tobacco smoking are recorded annually in Nigeria. Marco...
PAHO launches “Florencia,” a Spanish-language artificial intelligence tool to quit smoking
Washington, D.C., February 8, 2021 (PAHO) The Pan American Health Organization today will launch “Florencia,” the Spanish version of an artificial intelligence tool developed by the World Health Organization to help people quit smoking. The launch is part of WHO’s year-long World No Tobacco Day campaign: "Commit to quitting tobacco." Florencia, which is accessible through...
Pakistan: Tobacco control activists demand increase in FED on tobacco products
Tobacco control activists have demanded that the government increase FED on tobacco products, including smokeless tobacco products, in Pakistan. Currently, there are two tax slabs for cigarettes. An amount of Rs 33/- FED is imposed on cigarettes costing less than Rs. 90/- per packet and Rs. 90/- on cigarettes with a price of Rs. 90/-...
