WHO Advice’ Cameroon Raises Taxes on Tobacco by 75%

A stakeholder in the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control  and a member of the World Health Organisation, points out Cameroon is struggling to implement the 75% tax on tobacco prices as recommended.

Cameroon is still at 20% of tobacco taxation. “In terms of taxation, our country applies different taxes: excise duties – 30%, VAT – 19%, import tax – 1,000 cigarette rods at 5,000 CFA francs, customs fees and the vignette,” according to the Coalition Against Tobacco.

However,  all these taxes are in a way decoys. “When you add up all these taxes, it goes beyond 100%. And that’s what the tobacco industries are using to avoid reaching the 75% recommended by the WHO,” explains Prince Mpondo as reported by Stopblablacam.  He added that a strong taxation of tobacco products will not only reduce the rate of tobacco consumption, but also have enough resources to invest in health.

Even if C3T recognises that tobacco taxation has increased from 21% to 75% in recent years and that 1,000 cigarette rods still cost  3,500 FCFA in 2019, this civil society organisation stresses that we are still far from the mark. “It has been shown that for every 10% increase in the price of tobacco, there is a decrease in consumption of 4 to 8%,”.

Source: Journal du Cameroun