Training on Economics of Tobacco Control for Researchers, Government Officials, and Advocates in Latin America and the Caribbean (Washington, D.C., 5–7 February 2018)

Abstract

Tobacco use is the only risk factor common to the four leading noncommunicable diseases (cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease) and is the main cause of preventable deaths worldwide. Tobacco currently kills more than 7 million people each year globally and more than 900,000 in the Region of the Americas. Almost 80% of smokers live in low- or middle-income countries. In addition, smoking has become an obstacle to countries’ development. It is widely recognized that excise taxes on tobacco products are the single most powerful and cost-effective strategy for reducing consumption. In addition, such taxes generate revenues that can be used to finance development. There is compelling international evidence on the effectiveness of this measure, with a growing body of studies from the Region of the Americas. Nonetheless, increasing taxes on tobacco products remains one of the most underutilized tools to combat the tobacco epidemic. This is especially true in the Region of the Americas, where retail prices are still very low compared to the rest of the world, facilitating early initiation of smoking. Tobacco industry scare tactics have sown doubts about the viability of increasing excise taxes. As part of the activities to promote excise taxes on tobacco products as a control measure and to encourage the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the Pan American Health Organization, the FCTC Secretariat, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the American Cancer Society, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and the International Development Research Centre of Canada jointly held a training on the economics of tobacco control for government officials, researchers, and advocates in Latin America and the Caribbean on 5-7 February 2018 in Washington D.C.