India: Campaigners against Tobacco Disappointed

Source from:  Business Standard  01/26/2014

The Kerala Government's stance at not raising tobacco taxes in the 2014-15 budget presented in the assembly, have left campaigners against tobacco use disappointed.

Health professionals and tobacco control advocates feel the total ignorance shown to taxing tobacco products in the budget presentation made by Finance Minister K M Mani yesterday, is a retrogressive step in the state's public health.

Expressing dismay, Prof V Ramadas, Director, Institute of Gandhian Thought, Research and Action said, "While the Government has been making loud proclamations about 'healthcare for everyone', it does not seem to translate itself into practice as the Finance Minister omitted taxes on tobacco and tobacco products in his budget speech."

"A golden opportunity to showcase the Government's commitment to redeem Kerala's public health from a state of crisis has been lost", he said.

Ramadas,who has been actively working to control tobacco use in the state for the past six decades, said by raising tobacco taxes, Mani would have done a great service to Kerala society by bringing down the quantum of tobacco consumption, thereby preventing unwarranted morbidity and mortality.

Dr Tiny Nair, Head, Department of Cardiology, in a private Hospital said, "It is unfortunate that our fervent appeals to the Government for raising tobacco taxes fell on deaf ears."

Renowned filmmaker Shaji N Karun said, "At a time when staunch steps are being taken to implement tobacco control laws, it is depressing that our Finance Minister failed to comprehend the protracted advocacy for higher tobacco taxes."

"I wonder how the Government did not conceive of this simple measure with far-reaching preventive health implications for the younger generation," he added.

Dr Nair and Karun were among the prominent thought leaders of Kerala who had appealed to the Finance Minister for raising taxes on tobacco products to 65 per cent.

Over 40 per cent of cancer cases at the Regional Cancer Centre here are tobacco-borne, they had pointed out to the Minister during their meeting.

A study conducted by the Johns Hopkins University, USA, has shown that as many as 4.54 lakh lives can be saved/early deaths averted if VAT on tobacco products is increased to 65 per cent.

Currently, cigarettes have a VAT of 20 per cent while bidis are not taxed at all in Kerala. Enditem