CONSTITUTION
Monday, October 11, 2010
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why when the government seeks eagerly resources for health system is priced with a timid tax reform on cigarettes?
The tobacco epidemic is a silent threat, the consequences often go unnoticed in a society in which violent deaths hold an important place in the media and that has yet to allocate resources to fight infectious diseases. It is painful to see the human face of the epidemic, patients lose the best years of his life, or struggling to survive high-cost illnesses or facing complications, but for a cigarette, would have been much less severe or never would have been presented. Less obvious yet, but equally worrying is the financial impact that the treatment of these events have on the health system, an effect that will increase in coming years, as you get older the new cohorts of smokers and nonsmokers exposed to smoke Second hand. to 2007 in Colombia prevalence [1] of smoking remained below 20%. But this indicator is misleading. In fact, there is a force that slowly is becoming visible and promote increased consumption of cigarettes has become increasingly common for our youth smoking and the prevalence in women is growing rapidly. The most recent data for Bogota reveal a prevalence of around 30%.
These indicators run counter to what happens in most developed countries. In places like England or Australia, for over two decades have been breaking their backs to the epidemic and the prevalence is decreasing. Also middle-income countries, which proved the bitter experience of the burden of disease associated with this addiction, have slowed the rise of smoking. This has been the result of concrete actions by governments, health systems and organizations civil society. Fortunately, we have enough evidence about the type of measures that work. We also know that if we stand by the epidemic is its cost in lives and financial resources.
Ideally, actions should be taken in a coordinated way: taxes on cigarettes, for more expensive the product, controls the image, sales, promotion, establishment of smoke-free environments and cessation programs . It is also important to monitoring and evaluation of policies.
Colombia has made progress in almost all these dimensions, with one big exception: taxes. As a result, today we have one of the cheapest cigarettes in Latin America, sharing this place with Paraguay. And this was not for lack of opportunity to discuss tax increases. In fact, within the framework of financial reform the health system last year issued a provision that sought to establish a modest increase in the consumption tax, with a unified tax of $ 650 per pack. When that rule fell, with the declaration of unconstitutionality of the social emergency decree, again created a space for discussion, with the project that resulted in Act 1393 of 2010. Surprisingly, the tax law was approved in the $ 570 per packet of 20 cigarettes. While a surcharge that was passed was not covered in the original measure, the combined effect of these two components did not increase the tax burden. That is, the tax burden on the final sale price has not changed.
The arguments of those who participated in the last debate to favor this lower tax, were scarce and most of the time with very little foundation and a lot of rhetoric. Alluded to the danger of contraband cigarettes, the increase in taxes would lower the collection. No There is no strong empirical evidence in developed countries or middle income who share similar socio-economic circumstances in the Colombian-to support these positions. Nor did the studies on the characteristics of demand for cigarettes in Colombia and Latin American countries indicate the possibility of such danger in the fall of the collection.
In limited circumstances provides an opportunity for the authorities to adopt a measure that allows them to simultaneously reduce a risk factor to the goals of health policies and also generate income . It is missing an opportunity Additional collection at a time that is essential to optimal design of financial instruments. Therefore, should remain in force in the agenda of Ministries of Finance and Social Protection increased cigarette taxes. And not just any increase, since studies suggest that there is room to double the amount.
** Associate Dean U. Sergio Arboleda. taken Economic Situation
[1] The prevalence of smoking is the proportion of smokers in a population, expressed as a percentage.
IMAGE: Exposition Paris 1994 002 dessins d_humour
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