The fight against Covid-19 should also be the fight against tobacco – CNN

For more than a dozen years, The Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use has helped countries invest in and implement evidence-based programs and interventions -- proven policies like creating smoke-free public places, banning tobacco advertising, increasing taxes on tobacco products, and requiring graphic pack warnings.In the midst of a pandemic, it's never been more important for leaders in the United States and around the world to protect and improve the health of their citizens, and we can do that by scaling policies that work. For instance, research shows that increasing tobacco taxes is the most cost effective intervention at our disposal to reduce tobacco use.

Tax increases can be implemented quickly, and we know they work. For every 10% increase in the price of cigarettes, demand is expected to decline by 4% to 5%, according to the World Health Organization -- and the resulting revenue can be substantial, which is especially helpful to governments during economic downturns like the one we face today.

Link:

The fight against Covid-19 should also be the fight against tobacco - CNN