Alcohol taxes aren't high enough, the World Health Organisation has said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) called on governments to raise taxes on alcoholic beverages and extend them to currently exempt products, such as wine in certain European nations. The WHO also recommended higher taxes on sugary drinks, emphasizing that annually, 2.6 million people die from alcohol consumption, and 8 million die due to unhealthy diets.
Rudiger Krech, the director of health promotion at the WHO, asserted that imposing higher taxes on such products contributes to healthier populations, generating positive effects across society by reducing diseases and disabilities and providing governments with revenue for public services. Additionally, in the case of alcohol, it aids in preventing violence and road traffic injuries.
Public health organizations, including the WHO, are increasingly focusing on the health consequences of products like alcohol and sugary foods, following substantial progress in raising awareness of the death and disease caused by cigarettes.
The WHO unveiled an "alcohol tax manual" on Tuesday, aligning with similar documents addressing tobacco and sugar-sweetened beverages. The manual criticizes existing alcohol taxes as "low and not optimally designed" and highlights that 22 countries, mostly in Europe, do not tax wine at all. The WHO calls on governments to implement higher rates and tax all categories of alcohol.
According to the WHO, alcohol consumption is a contributing factor to more than 200 disease and injury conditions, including certain cancers, liver cirrhosis, and cardiovascular diseases. However, industry associations in the alcohol sector argue that elevated levies result in reduced sales, diminished tax revenues, and pose a threat to the survival of some businesses.
