The demon or tobacco and alcohol

-The demon or tobacco and alcohol

Yearly statics shows, 60 people die daily in Srilanka due to smoking and about 60% of cancer patients have been found to be smokers.According to Hon president of Srilanka , who was the former health minister , the national expenditure on treating for various diseases those diagnosed related to smoking is Rs 4500 million. deaths concerned to smoking reaches to 21000 per year.

cost of cigarette has gone down in the past couple of years but the real price of cigarette had decreased.Absolute increase in tobacco tax revenue can be seen in the 8 years period due to higher rates of inflation in the country while dropping in tobacco taxation.According to recent inflation rates and increase in per capita income, the cost of a cigarette should be at least Rs 40 in Sri lanka.In many governments of Sri lanka, politicians have directly involved to issue bar licenses and smuggle the illicit drugs even one of chief minister of a province with clear evidences.

Research findings have revealed that the most effective way to manage the consumption of tobacco and alcohol is through the mechanism of price hiking.consumption of alcohol and cigarettes is reduced by the sensitivity of price hike.10% of price hiking in tobacco and alcohol causes only 5% of reduction of consumption.In this scale, one or two percents of price hiking might not produce a favorable effect on the reduction of substance abuse consumption.Ratification of FCTC treaty on 23 rd September,2003 and signing the WHO frame work convention on tobacco control(WHO - FCTC) treaty on 23 rd September 2003 causes pledging to take initiatives to decrease consumption of tobacco.Above treaty includes suggestions for hiking tax measures to reduce the demand for tobacco.

It further states that reduction the consumption of tobacco in the various segments of the population should be based on the effective strategies of hiking tax measures.contribution of each parties to support national health objectives is important and should not be prejudiced the sovereign rights of each of them.


1. Implementation of tax policies due to reduction of tobacco consumption

2 appropriate price policies on tobacco and alcohol products

3. Eligible health policies to reduce consumption of tobacco and alcohol that prohibits and control the sale, use and imports

4. international travelers of tax of duty free tobacco products are main steps of whole process in tobacco and alcohol management

Srilankan government earns a tax revenue of Rs 74 billion in tobacco products while 55 billion taxes is imposed on alcoholic products.The most important fact is , though Srilankan government collects huge  revenue via imposition of taxes for alcohol and tobacco, the expenditure on negative effects of health claims of excess cost than that of revenue. treatment facilities for tobacco caused cancers, heart diseases,bronchitis and other diseases requires a huge amount of moneny allocations from national budget.Alcohol and tobacco lead to loose the productivity of the country and paralyse the labour force . Overall public cost of smoking and alcohol addiction is much higher than revenue generated by them via taxes.

According to the chirman of the national authority on tobacco and alcohol(NATA) that when the price of cigeratte  is increased the revenue that the government generates through taxes will increase from Rs 75 billion to Rs 100 billion.At the same time the number of smokers reduce by 100000.

many of tobacco companies all around the world use heavy influences on existing governments via regional trade agreements when those government make successful attempts to hike the taxes on tobacco products on the purpose of reduction of cosumption.This is vary common in various asian and african countries those are bound with bilateral and multi trade networks.Use of tricky stratergies to make necessary arrangements in the imposition of taxatons must be attentive in global scale.It is very obvious that necessary measures to be taken globally in legal and other sectors to get rid of tobacco and alcohol mafia.


The report that was issued by ADIC, says that the importance of evaluating the success of past taxaton strategies with regard to revenue concerned.The report also emphasizes the necessity of evaluating the cost of tobacco related diseases and achieving goals on consumption levels and develope a rational method of setting prices and taxes in response to the dynamics and policy goals in the tobacco consumption.


(S.M Anuradha Senarathna)(BSc (Hon's) PG Dip in sociology---youths for good politics,sera idea blogspot.com