The impact of health taxes on consumption of tobacco and sugar-sweetened beverages in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Abstract

Consumption of tobacco, nicotine and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) poses a significant risk to public health, contributing to increases in noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity. Globally, regular consumption of SSBs increases the risk of type 2 diabetes by 26%, and deaths related to tobacco and nicotine consumption exceed 8 million annually, including 1.3 million due to exposure to second-hand smoke. This loss of lives and the negative impact on health underscore the urgent need for effective public health interventions to curb the consumption of these harmful products.