烟草在线据DNA报道编译　　有研究人员估计，如果提高烟税，可避免10万因消费烟草引起的死亡，马哈拉施特拉邦极有希望在3月19日星期三公布的邦预算中提高烟税。

　　根据美国约翰·霍普金斯公共卫生学院最新得出的2012-2013年度估计，如果烟草和烟草相关产品的增值税提高到100%的话，仅在马哈拉施特拉邦，每年就可以挽救近300万人的生命。此外，研究报告显示，如果增值税提高到烟草产品销售价格的50%，则可以挽救110多万人的生命。

　　研究人员估计，如果价格大幅提升的话，会有多少使用烟草的人戒烟，以此为基础，再做出关于可以挽救多少人生命的估计。Healis Sekhsaria公共卫生研究院的院长PC Gupta博士说：“最近得出的估计是以人口普查资料和全球成年人烟草调查为基础的，这个估计显示，如果烟草价格大幅上涨，马哈拉施特拉邦会有70%的烟草使用者因支付能力下降而选择戒烟。”

　　烟草及烟草相关产品的增值税由印度各邦在每包烟草、比迪烟和卷烟的零售价格上征收。PC Gupta博士解释说：“每包20支装的比迪烟或一袋烟草的价格不足5卢比，目前马哈拉施特拉邦征收5%的增值税。对于吸烟上瘾的人，这个税率几乎没有任何震慑作用，因为在购买烟草的人这方，每包烟草的价格并没有上涨。有烟瘾的人还会继续购买比迪烟或烟叶。如果增值税被提高100%，烟草的价格就会提高到每包10卢比。此外，卷烟和袋装烟草的增值税只有20%。这个税率是非常低的。”

　　公共卫生活动分子给马哈拉施特拉邦副首席部长Ajit Pawar写信，敦促他根据提高烟税最终能挽救生命的估计，将所有烟草产品的增值税提高到60%至65%。世界卫生组织建议，向烟草产品征收的税率为烟草产品零售价格的65%至70%。

　　在马哈拉施特拉邦的1.1亿多人口中，多达31.4%的人对烟草上瘾。近2300万人使用无烟烟草，而在所有吸烟有瘾的人中，有1040万人会因包括口腔癌和肺癌或心脏病发作等多种疾患而早亡。印度孟买非政府组织SBF（Salaam Bombay Foundation）的理事Padmi ni Somani说：“如果该邦能将烟税大幅提升，就会遏制人们购买烟草和相关产品。这将挽救数十万人的生命。此外，小时候就染上吸烟习惯的青少年也会被制止，可能成为瘾君子的新一代人在萌芽状态就会被阻止。”

　　世界卫生组织建议向烟草产品增收其零售价格65%至70%的烟税。

　　研究人员估计，在印度的拉贾斯坦邦将所有烟草产品的增值税提高到50%之后，2011-2012年，该邦有110多万人的生命得到了挽救。

　　为达到世界卫生组织的标准，拉贾斯坦邦政府在公布的2013年预算中，将卷烟、比迪烟和烟草产品的增值税提高到了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.