Home / Health / India Boosts Tobacco Tax, Fights Smokeless Tobacco Use
India Boosts Tobacco Tax, Fights Smokeless Tobacco Use
23 Feb
Summary
- India raised smokeless tobacco tax to 40%, aligning with WHO.
- New study shows standardized packaging aids health warnings.
- 200 million Indians use smokeless tobacco, causing significant disease burden.
India's recent Goods and Services Tax (GST) reform includes a 40% tax increase on smokeless tobacco products, a strategy supported by the World Health Organization to reduce consumption and generate revenue. This measure aligns with India's commitment to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Despite a global disease burden where India accounts for nearly three-quarters of smokeless tobacco-related illnesses, an estimated 200 million adults in India use these products. Current packaging often hinders the visibility of graphic health warnings, which cover 85% of pack surface area.
A study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests that standardizing smokeless tobacco packaging into rectangular sachets can significantly improve the visibility and impact of these warnings. Participants found standardized packs made warnings easier to see and understand, viewing them as powerful deterrents.
This presents an opportunity for India to further demonstrate global health leadership by proposing standardized packaging, potentially combined with plain packaging, to enhance compliance and reduce product appeal. Such measures, alongside the existing tax hike and strong warning labels, could significantly reduce smokeless tobacco use and improve public health outcomes.
