ISLAMABAD: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that if tobacco tax is increased by 50 per cent per pack by the countries around the world they will earn an extra $101 billion in revenue that can be used in health and other social programmes.

In a report released to coincide with ‘World No-Tobacco Day’ being observed on Saturday, the WHO further calculated that if all countries increased taxes on cigarette packs by 50pc, there would be 49 million fewer smokers and this would avert 11m deaths from smoking.

According to the report, some countries have imposed complex systems of tobacco excise, which are difficult to administer and subject to loopholes.

The tobacco industry takes advantage of these loopholes to avoid paying the full amount of taxes.

Smokeless tobacco is prevalent in countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen but its use is also increasing in the rest of the region.

Smoking prevalence has reached as high as 47pc among young males and females, aged 13 to 15, in certain countries in the region.

The report says that Egypt, Iran and Pakistan are expected to be among the top growth countries with respect to tobacco consumption worldwide in the next 40 years.

Published in Dawn, May 31th, 2014