Youth urge PM to increase taxes on tobacco products on National Youth Day

Hyderabad: Over 500 youths including youth associations across the country have urged the Prime Minister and Finance Minister to increase taxes on all tobacco products in the upcoming budget of 2022-23. In their appeals, they urged to increase excise duty on cigarettes, beedis and smokeless tobacco. The appeal came on the eve of National Youth […]

Hyderabad: Over 500 youths including youth associations across the country have urged the Prime Minister and Finance Minister to increase taxes on all tobacco products in the upcoming budget of 2022-23. In their appeals, they urged to increase excise duty on cigarettes, beedis and smokeless tobacco.

The appeal came on the eve of National Youth Day 2022 which is themed around ‘Saksham Yuva, Sashakth Yuva (Capable Youth, Strong Youth)’ and calls for enabling a healthy and addiction free growing ecosystem for the young people of the country.

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According to the youth groups, increasing excise on all tobacco products can be a very effective policy measure to address the immediate need to raise revenue by the central government. It will be a winning proposition for generating revenue and reducing tobacco use and related diseases as well as Covid related comorbidities, the appeal said according to Voluntary Health Association of India.

Ace badminton player and Olympian, PV Sindhu in the statement said, “Tobacco use not only harms our health but it is also a threat to the health of our friends and family. Additionally, tobacco users also have a greater risk of developing severe cases of Covid-19. I want all of you to break free from dependence on tobacco and stay healthy.”

India has the second-largest number (268 million) of tobacco users in the world and nearly 27 per cent of all cancers in India are due to tobacco. The annual economic costs from all diseases and deaths attributable to tobacco use are estimated to be Rs 177,341 crores in 2017-18 amounting to 1% of India’s GDP. This will continue to grow post-Covid, the Voluntary Health Association of India statement said.