Increasing tobacco taxes can save the lives of 281,000 children per year

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According to a new analysis, more than A quarter of a million deaths from young children It was possible to avoid 5 years in low income countries in one year if these states increased Current taxes on cigarettes. the Smoke exposure Among the others can harm young children, lead to asthma, affects the function of the lung and makes children more vulnerable to sudden infant death syndrome (SMSL).

It can also affect them even before birth, Increased risk of premature birth and low birth weight. To help reduce smoking rates, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends cigarette tax with the equivalent of tax to 75 % of the price of its sale to the public. But a few countries with low and medium income have done so.

According to the new estimates, published in “The Lancet Public Health”, about 281,000 deaths for children under the age of 5 years It could have been avoided by 75 % cigarette taxes6 % of more than 4.7 million young children died in 2021 in 94 countries listed in the study.

The path that is transmitted from tobacco taxes to childhood health It is a complex thing“EURONEWS Health” Márta Radó, the main author of the study and teacher of the Carolinska Institute in Sweden. But the results indicate that “this can protect children, especially the most at risk.”

In particular, the study discovered this Top taxes on cigarettes would increase survival rates Infants are more among low -income people among the richest, which reduces inequality in tobacco mortality in these areas. However, in 2020, 10 countries out of 94 countries of the study of cigarettes increased to at least 75 % of the retail value.

Avoid 74,000 deaths in the poorest families

In the remaining 84 countries, increased taxes I can avoid approximately 70,000 deaths At the poorest families and more than 36,000 deaths in the richest groups in 2021, according to estimates. “It is very important,” said Andrew Agbaji, a doctor and associate professor of clinical epidemics and children’s health at the University of Finland, which did not participate in the new study.

However, he referred to this There are other factors that contributeN to a greater extent to the deaths of children under the age of 5 years in low -income countries, such as infectious diseases such as diarrhea or mosquitoes. “It is easy that the increase in taxes can have some effect, but not a magic solution to solve all problems.”

However, other investigations showed this Tobacco control can have a major effect. Some new authors in the new study analyzed how it could affect the increase in the price of cigarettes to infant deaths all over the world, and In 23 European Union countries especially. Either way, they found that the increase in prices translated into more children who survived their first birthday.

For his part, Agbaje said, in addition to Stop exposure to the second smoke In the uterus or during childhood, more should be done to prevent people from undergoing health problems related to health at a later time. “If we succeed (in the tax increase), do we have enough mechanisms to prevent children from ending tobacco consumption?” He asked. “Otherwise, the damage we are trying to prevent from the beginning will be missed.”