Economics for Health - EfH

02/02/2026

🆕 evidence from 🇧🇦 shows that illicit trade has declined in recent years 📉

from the Универзитет у Бањој Луци analyzed data & found that illicit trade decreased from 32% to 8️⃣% from 2019-2025, specifically:

- from 18% to 7️⃣% for manufactured ci******es, which account for 91% of total ***co consumption, and
- from 95% to 8️⃣2️⃣% for hand-rolled to***co, which accounts for 2% of total ***co consumption.

Read more about the illicit market & the expert recommendations 👇

https://www.economicsforhealth.org/research/size-and-characteristics-of-to***co-tax-evasion-in-bosnia-and-herzegovina-2025-working-paper-series/

01/23/2026

In 🇱🇧, prevalence was largely unaffected by the ongoing crisis, barely increasing from 35.1% in 2019 to 35.5% in 2024 🔎

In their , American University of Beirut (AUB) estimates:

- A 10% increase in the price of local & foreign ******es would reduce demand by 7.4% & 1.0%, respectively, which is similar to the 2019 findings.

- A 10% increase in the price of local brands would increase demand for foreign brands by 3.0% & a 10% increase in the price of foreign brands would increase demand for local brands by 1.4%, which is more than the 2019 findings.

Learn more about these results & recommendations for to reduce consumption & switching between brands 👇

https://www.economicsforhealth.org/research/price-and-income-sensitivity-and-stability-of-cigarette-demand-amidst-economic-crisis-evidence-from-lebanon-report/

01/22/2026

🆕 from Универзитет у Бањој Луци models the impact of the planned tax increases in Bosnia & Herzegovina 🇧🇦

From the baseline in 2024 to 2027, the minimum excise tax would grow from BAM 3.46 to 7️⃣, which would:

- decrease number of cigarette packs sold by 5% in 2025, 3% in 2026, and 2% in 2027;
- prevent b/w 9,200 and 18,165 premature adult deaths & save b/w 1,274 & 1,286 youth lives;
- increase total revenue 12% in 2025, 16% in 2026, & 14% in 2027.

Learn more about the impact of this improvement in ***co tax policy & recommendations to further strengthen fiscal & public health in 👇

https://www.economicsforhealth.org/research/gains-from-the-increase-in-to***co-excise-taxes-in-bih/

01/16/2026

Harmful drinks around the 🌍 are getting cheaper, not healthier. World Health Organization (WHO) data shows alcoholic products & sugary drinks are now more affordable in most countries—including for young people.

Strong taxes are one of the fastest, most cost-effective, and highest-ROI policies available for governments to protect 📈

Learn more from our colleagues at WHO on taxes 👇
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240118928
.. & sugar-sweetened beverage taxes 👇
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240118942

01/15/2026

We are excited to see take crucial steps to improve ***cocontrol in 🇲🇰

Thank you to our colleagues at Analytica for their commitment to reducing the negative health & economic impact of ***co use, and to the decision makers involved for prioritizing !

We look forward to continuing to work together to advance policies to align with evidence-based recommendations 📈

Македонија подготвува радикален пресврт во законот за забрана на пушење. Забраната ќе важи во сите затворени простори од јавен карактер, а увозот и продажбата на т....

01/14/2026

Congratulations to 🇲🇪 on their monumental progress on ***co tax policy, which will save lives and raise revenues for the government 🎉

From January 2026 to December 2028, the specific excise tax on ******es will increase 61.4% under the 🆕 excise calendar, thus:

📉 reducing adult & youth prevalence 5.3% & 11.9%, respectively;
🚫 preventing 3.7% & 11.9% of adult & youth smoking-attributable deaths, respectively; and
📈 increasing excise tax revenue ~7% each year, amounting to around 30 million euros of additional revenue.

Thank you to Mr. Novica Vuković & the Ministarstvo finansija Crne Gore for this commitment to protect by reducing to***co use!

We hope that governments around the world follow their lead 🌍

01/12/2026

***co spending in 🇧🇦 diverts household spending away from necessary & beneficial goods and services 🔎

from Универзитет у Бањој Луци find that to***co use:

📉 reduces spending on food, housing, education, & health, while
📈 increasing spending on ready-made food, alcohol, & non-alcoholic beverages.

This is especially harmful for low-income households, which dedicate 6.2% of their monthly budget to to***co.

Learn more about these findings for each income group & implications for policy makers 👇

https://www.economicsforhealth.org/research/crowding-out-effect-of-to***co-consumption-in-bosnia-and-herzegovina-working-paper-series/

01/08/2026

🆕 from 🇲🇰 shows that raising excise taxes on ******es 12% each year from 2025 to 2030 would yield substantial fiscal & health gains 📈

Specifically, our partners at Analytica found that this would:

⬆️ increase tax revenue by 12% annually,
⬇️ reduce consumption by 16.8 million packs, and
🚫 prevent premature smoking-related deaths among adults & youth.

Learn more about the findings & recommendations based on the simulation 🔎

https://www.economicsforhealth.org/research/enhancing-public-health-and-fiscal-stability-in-north-macedonia-through-to***co-taxation-evidence-based-modeling-2025-2030/

12/22/2025

Thank you to our colleagues at Analytica for their continued engagement to inform effective ***cocontrol policies in 🇲🇰!

We are excited to see growing support for both price and non-price measures to reduce ***co consumption, especially among youth & other vulnerable groups.

Learn more about the impact of on the country's health & economic wellbeing in a 🆕 article from the team & WHO Regional Office for Europe 👇

https://www.slobodenpecat.mk/en/1skrienata-cena-na-pushenjeto-zdravstveni-i-ekonomski-posledici-za-severna-makedonija/

12/19/2025

taxes are the most cost-effective to***co control measure, yet the 🆕 Economics for Health - EfH shows that governments are not implementing best practices 🔎

The 4th edition of the report finds that countries are missing out on fiscal & health gains from effective tax policy.

Learn about opportunities to improve in 1️⃣7️⃣1️⃣ countries 🗺️

www.economicsforhealth.org/research/cigarette-tax-scorecard-4th-edition/
..and check out 9️⃣ country-specific (more coming soon!) 👇

https://www.economicsforhealth.org/research/ =cigarette%20tax%20scorecard%204th%20edition%20fact%20sheet

12/18/2025

In a 🆕 , our colleague, Patricio V. Marquez, discusses the key findings & broad implications of the 4️⃣th edition of the Economics for Health - EfH , including:

- the health & fiscal case for ***co taxes 📝
- shortcomings in current tax policy globally 🌍
- opportunities for governments to apply recommendations to improve , reduce costs, & raise tax revenues 📈

Learn more in the insightful commentary 👇
https://pmarquez.substack.com/p/global-to***co-taxation-a-decade
.. and check out the recently released Scorecard 👇
https://www.economicsforhealth.org/research/cigarette-tax-scorecard-4th-edition/

Findings from 4th edition of the Economics for Health Cigarette Tax Scorecard

12/17/2025

The global average overall tax policy score was only 2.01 pts out of 5️⃣ in the latest Economics for Health - EfH 🌍

From 2022 to 2024, the global average remained practically unchanged, while the average score:

- increased slightly in the , , & South-East , but
- declined in low- & high-income countries 📉

Learn more about these trends 👇

www.economicsforhealth.org/research/cigarette-tax-scorecard-4th-edition/