Economics for Health - EfH

12/04/2025

[SPANISH] En 🇲🇽, un incremento de 🔟% en los precios del reduciría el consumo en 2.2% entre mujeres y 5.4% entre los hombres 📊

Un nuevo estudio de nuestros socios en Centro de Investigación Económica y Presupuestaria A.C. encuentra que aumentar el componente específico del impuesto en 1️⃣ peso por :

- reduciría el gasto trimestral en en 204 pesos para las mujeres y 134 pesos para los hombres,
- disminuiría los costos medicos en 1.8% para las mujeres y 8.7% para los hombres, quienes tienen mayores costos en la línea basal,
- incrementaría la vida productiva en 0.09 years para las mujeres y 2.3 años para los hombres, quienes pierden más años en la línea basal 📈

Descubre más sobre la dinámica e género y el impacto de incrementos en los impuestos en el increso disponible de los 👇
https://www.economicsforhealth.org/uploads/Costo-Beneficio%20del%20tabaco%20por%20ge%CC%81nero_18112025_md.pdf

12/02/2025

In 🇲🇪, raising prices would reduce consumption in every price segment 📉

Our partners at NVO ISEA - Institut za socio-ekonomske analize estimate that a 🔟% price increase in economy, mid-priced, & premium brands would reduce consumption by 7.1%, 8.2%, & 6.3%, respectively. The also find that some switch between segments 📊:

- a 10% increase in mid-priced brands would increase consumption of low-priced brands by 2.1% &
- a 10% increase in premium brands would increase consumption of mid-priced brands 4.2%.

Learn more about these findings & recommendations for 👇

https://www.economicsforhealth.org/research/price-responsiveness-and-brand-switching-in-montenegros-cigarette-market-working-paper-series/

11/26/2025

In 🇲🇽, a 🔟% increase in ***co prices would reduce consumption by 2.2% among women & 5.4% among men 📊

A 🆕 study from our partners at CIEP - Centro de Investigación Económica y Presupuestaria finds that increasing the specific tax component by 1️⃣ peso per stick would:

- reduce quarterly ***co spending by 204 pesos for women & 134 pesos for men,
- decrease medical costs by 1.8% for women & 8.7% for men, who face higher costs at the baseline,
- increase working life by 0.09 years for women & 2.3 years for men, who lose more years at the baseline 📈

Learn more about the gender dynamics & impact of tax increases on disposable income of in & 👇

https://www.economicsforhealth.org/research/extended-cost-benefit-analysis-of-to***co-consumption-in-mexico-by-gender/

11/25/2025

🆕 from NVO ISEA - Institut za socio-ekonomske analize shows that ***co use worsens poverty in 🇲🇪

Together, to***co spending & to***co-related health spending pushed >10,000 into , including 2,151 children. To***co use also increased the poverty gap, with:
- a 1.53% increase in the first income quintile &
- an increase from 0.07% to 0.43% in the second income quintile 📈

Learn more about recommendations for to reduce these harms 👇
https://www.economicsforhealth.org/research/the-impoverishing-effect-of-to***co-use-in-montenegro-working-paper-series/

11/20/2025

Earlier this month, Economics for Health - EfH & Universidad Adolfo Ibañez organized a meeting in Panama with our partners 🌎

Alongside ***cocontrol colleagues from more than 🔟 countries, we discussed progress on , challenges we faced, & opportunities to collaborate in our work. We are excited to continue to push for stronger ***co tax policies to improve public health & raise tax revenues in the region!

Thank you to all of the participants for your engagement & commitment to the cause 👏

11/18/2025

In the 🇵🇭, 🆕 results show that illicit ***co trade is driven by gaps in enforcement, not to***co taxes 🔎

We worked with Action for Economic Reforms to estimate illicit trade in 8️⃣ cities & found:

- 3️⃣ indicators of illicit ******es: sold below the minimum price, tax stamp violations, & smuggled, unregistered brand; and

- significant variation in illicit trade, with much higher levels in port cities with free trade like General Santos and Zamboanga 🌏

These findings highlight opportunities to strengthen border controls & regulations in areas with a larger illicit market, while continuing to raise to***co taxes to reduce consumption 📈

Learn more in our 👇
https://www.economicsforhealth.org/research/illicit-to***co-trade-in-the-philippines-findings-from-sari-sari-store-surveys-and-empty-pack-audits/

11/14/2025

The newly operational Tax Policy Office in 🇵🇰 provides an opportunity to align ***co taxes with both fiscal & goals 📈

An from our colleagues at Social Policy and Development Centre examines the implications of this institutional shift on ***cocontrol aims 👇

The recent establishment of the Tax Policy Office (TPO)—separating the critical function of tax policy design from...

11/13/2025

In the 🇪🇺, adjusting the minimum tax on ******es by the cost of living would ensure a comparable tax burden across Member States 🔎

A 🆕 brief from UPCT Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena suggests:
- a fixed rate for 2/3 of the minimum rate &
- an adjustment by living standards for 1/3 of the minimum excise rate.

Thus, most countries would not need to reach the proposed nominal minimum of €215 per 1,000 ci******es, while some would have to reach above 📊

Learn more about the implications for 👇

https://www.economicsforhealth.org/research/impact-of-the-revision-of-the-european-union-to***co-tax-directive-the-adjustment-of-minimum-excises-by-differences-in-the-cost-of-living/

11/12/2025

Our 🆕 note on the principles of taxation is live 🎉

Together with our colleagues, we determined 6️⃣ key principles to ensure that alcohol are effective in improving population health, while raising revenues for the government 📈

Learn more about the conclusions from 👇
https://www.economicsforhealth.org/research/the-principles-of-alcohol-taxation/
.. check out the slides from Economics for Health - EfH's director 👇
https://www.economicsforhealth.org/research/the-principles-of-alcohol-taxation-presentation
.. and view the launch if you missed it 👇
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4FE6QLMc8w

11/06/2025

📢 Next week, Action for Economic Reforms will be releasing our co-produced report on illicit ***co trade in the 🇵🇭

Learn more about the findings from 8️⃣ cities & implications for , happening:

🗓️ November 10th at 9pm ET
📹 live on AER's page

How can the Philippines curb illicit to***co trade? 🚭

Action for Economic Reforms formally launches "The Illicit To***co Trade in the Philippines Report", a comprehensive study examining the spread of illegal ci******es and the policy measures needed to address this growing problem.

Join us on November 11, 2025, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, together with researchers, advocates and policymakers as we unpack this critical economic and public health issue.

Catch the full presentation live here on our page. Stay tuned for updates and insights!

This event is presented by Action for Economic Reforms and Sin Tax Coalition (Bawas Bisyo) in partnership with Economics for Health - EfH .

11/03/2025

We are excited to announce our upcoming on designing effective taxes to save lives 🎉

Join us on Monday, November 10th at 10am ET to learn about the 6️⃣ key principles of alcohol from:

- PAHO-WHO 🌎,
- National Treasury of South Africa 🇿🇦,
- Action for Economic Reforms 🇵🇭 , and
- Economics for Health - EfH's own, Jeffrey Drope!

Register below to hear about this 🆕 policy note from 👇

https://vitalstrategies.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NbAGMK1NQiuheaxks7KiVQ #/registration

10/30/2025

In 🇧🇷, raising the price of alcoholic beverages would discourage consumption & prevent -related deaths 🔎

A 🆕 technical note based on the Universidade Católica de Brasília Alcohol Tax Simulator shows that:

- raising the price of a can of BRL 1 would reduce consumption 1️⃣8️⃣% and
- applying a similar structure to beer, wine, spirits, & cachaça would reduce overall consumption 2️⃣0️⃣% & prevent >10,000 alcohol-related deaths.

Learn more about these findings in 👇
https://www.economicsforhealth.org/research/technical-note-on-estimated-impact-of-alcohol-tax-reform-in-brazil/
.. and in 👇
https://www.economicsforhealth.org/research/portuguese-nota-tecnica-sobre-impacto-estimado-da-reforma-tributaria-do-alcool-no-brasil/