煙草在線據DNA報道編譯　　有研究人員估計，如果提高煙稅，可避免10萬因消費煙草引起的死亡，馬哈拉施特拉邦極有希望在3月19日星期三公布的邦預算中提高煙稅。

　　根據美國約翰·霍普金斯公共衛生學院最新得出的2012-2013年度估計，如果煙草和煙草相關產品的增值稅提高到100%的話，僅在馬哈拉施特拉邦，每年就可以挽救近300萬人的生命。此外，研究報告顯示，如果增值稅提高到煙草產品銷售價格的50%，則可以挽救110多萬人的生命。

　　研究人員估計，如果價格大幅提升的話，會有多少使用煙草的人戒煙，以此為基礎，再做出關于可以挽救多少人生命的估計。Healis Sekhsaria公共衛生研究院的院長PC Gupta博士說：“最近得出的估計是以人口普查資料和全球成年人煙草調查為基礎的，這個估計顯示，如果煙草價格大幅上漲，馬哈拉施特拉邦會有70%的煙草使用者因支付能力下降而選擇戒煙。”

　　煙草及煙草相關產品的增值稅由印度各邦在每包煙草、比迪煙和卷煙的零售價格上征收。PC Gupta博士解釋說：“每包20支裝的比迪煙或一袋煙草的價格不足5盧比，目前馬哈拉施特拉邦征收5%的增值稅。對于吸煙上癮的人，這個稅率幾乎沒有任何震懾作用，因為在購買煙草的人這方，每包煙草的價格并沒有上漲。有煙癮的人還會繼續購買比迪煙或煙葉。如果增值稅被提高100%，煙草的價格就會提高到每包10盧比。此外，卷煙和袋裝煙草的增值稅只有20%。這個稅率是非常低的。”

　　公共衛生活動分子給馬哈拉施特拉邦副首席部長Ajit Pawar寫信，敦促他根據提高煙稅最終能挽救生命的估計，將所有煙草產品的增值稅提高到60%至65%。世界衛生組織建議，向煙草產品征收的稅率為煙草產品零售價格的65%至70%。

　　在馬哈拉施特拉邦的1.1億多人口中，多達31.4%的人對煙草上癮。近2300萬人使用無煙煙草，而在所有吸煙有癮的人中，有1040萬人會因包括口腔癌和肺癌或心臟病發作等多種疾患而早亡。印度孟買非政府組織SBF（Salaam Bombay Foundation）的理事Padmi ni Somani說：“如果該邦能將煙稅大幅提升，就會遏制人們購買煙草和相關產品。這將挽救數十萬人的生命。此外，小時候就染上吸煙習慣的青少年也會被制止，可能成為癮君子的新一代人在萌芽狀態就會被阻止。”

　　世界衛生組織建議向煙草產品增收其零售價格65%至70%的煙稅。

　　研究人員估計，在印度的拉賈斯坦邦將所有煙草產品的增值稅提高到50%之后，2011-2012年，該邦有110多萬人的生命得到了挽救。

　　為達到世界衛生組織的標準，拉賈斯坦邦政府在公布的2013年預算中，將卷煙、比迪煙和煙草產品的增值稅提高到了65%。

Higher tobacco tax saves lives

　　High hopes are pegged on the state to increase taxes on tobacco in the upcoming state budget on Wednesday， after researchers estimated that lakhs of deaths due to tobacco consumption could be averted if taxes are raised.

　　According to latest 2012 - 13 estimates by John Hopkins School of Public Health， USA nearly thirty lakh lives can be saved annually in Maharashtra alone， if Value Added Tax (VAT) on tobacco and related products is increased to 100 percent. Further， the research report indicates that if the VAT is increased to 50% of the sale price of a tobacco product， it could save more than eleven lakh lives.

　　Researchers have estimated this by estimating as to how many users will quit using tobacco if prices rise substantially. "Latest estimates drawn based on census data and global adult tobacco survey indicate that as many as 70% users in the state will quit if there is a massive increase in prices as the affordability will then go down，" said said Dr PC Gupta， director， Healis Sekhsaria Institute of Public Health.

　　VAT in case of tobacco and related products is levied by every state government on the retail price of tobacco packets， beedis and cigarettes. "While one packet of beedi containing twenty pieces or a pouch of tobacco costs as less as Rs 5. At the moment the state levies a bare 5% of VAT. This is hardly a deterrent for an addict as the price of the packet does not increase at the buyer's level. The addict will continue to buy beedis or tobacco. If the VAT is raised by 100 percent， then the costs will rise to Rs 10 per packet. Also， VAT on cigarettes and tobacco packets is only 20%. This is very less，" explained Dr Gupta.

　　Public health activists have written to state's deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar urging him to increase VAT up to 60% to 65% on all tobacco products based on the estimates that higher taxes end up saving lives. World Health Organization recommends that 65% - 70% of the retail price of tobacco products should be taxed.

　　Of more than eleven crore population in Maharashtra， a chunky 31.4 percent are addicted to tobacco. Close to 2.3 crore persons use smokeless tobacco and 1.04 crore persons of all addicts will die a premature and an untimely death due to a host of ailments including oral and lung cancers or heart attacks. "If the state increases taxes substantially， it will deter the persons from buying tobacco and related products. This will save lakhs of lives. Also the youngsters who pick up the habit early will be deterred and a new generation of potential addicts will be nipped in the bud，" said Padmini Somani， director， Salaam Bombay Foundation.

　　World Health Organization recommends that 65% - 70% of the retail price of tobacco products should be taxed

　　Researchers estimate that more than 11 lakh lives in Rajasthan have been saved in 2011 - 12 after Rajasthan increased VAT on all products to 50%

　　Rajasthan state government has further hiked Value Added Tax (VAT) on cigarettes， beedis and tobacco products up to 65% in 2013 state budget announcement to match WHO standard.