On Tuesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its first-ever global tax manual for sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs).
And the world body urged countries to introduce or increase taxes on those items to save lives.
“Taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages can be a powerful tool to promote health,” Director of Health Promotion at WHO, Dr. Ruediger Krech, noted.
Krech explained that the taxes save lives and prevent disease while advancing health equity and mobilising revenue for countries to realize universal health coverage.
Currently, at least 85 countries implement some SBB taxation.
And according to WHO, SSB, tobacco and alcohol taxes have proven to be cost-effective ways of preventing diseases, injuries, and premature mortality.
WHO also observed that SSB taxes could encourage companies to reformulate their products to reduce sugar content.
“Regular consumption of SSBs, including soft drinks, flavoured milks, energy drinks, vitamin waters, fruit juices and sweetened iced teas, is associated with an increased risk of dental cavities, type 2 diabetes, weight gain and obesity in both children and adults, heart disease, stroke and cancer,” according to a WHO release.
The release said evidence shows that implementing taxes on SSBs increases product prices and reduces demand, resulting in fewer purchases.
It disclosed that a one-time global SSB tax increase that raised prices by 50% could generate additional revenues of US$1.4 trillion over 50 years.
In this regard, WHO has called on countries to introduce or increase existing SSB taxes to raise the prices of ‘these unhealthy products’, lessen demand, and reduce consumption.
Headline photo courtesy Evieanna Santiago (Unsplash.com).
how the hell can putting Taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages can be a powerful tool to promote health. i can understand you trying to say hey cut on the sweet drinks but in code this looks like you are more saying hey they drinking alot of this lets put a heavy tax so we can make more money on their heads. People have been told to stop smoking have you seen this decrease as well? No people still smoke so what makes this any different?
@ma malay if lucians smart enough they wont buy it…am telling u now i was drinkin alot of that and eating alot of kfc and trust me that didnt get me on the good health side…its time we start cooking home and doin little things at home……u care wen they make more money?? u are the ones making them make the money….i ban them tingz papa
The initiative is damn good . If an increase in cost can effect a reduction in consumption, that automatically saves lives no matter the rate of reduction. Think out of the box.
SmH…..if people are addicted to sweet things,they will pay more. This will do nothing to prevent anything. Use your head people.