Resources

On October 1, 2018, Indonesia implemented its first regulation on e-cigarettes, written as a 57% tax on the retail price of e-cigarette liquid. This would exceed the 40% average tax on conventional cigarettes. Economics suggest that if cigarettes and e-cigarettes are substitute products, raising the price of e-cigarettes could drive some people to use cigarettes instead. This would be detrimental to public health. This project used online surveys in a pre-post study design to examine how the 2018 Indonesian tax on e-cigarette liquid affected use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes.

Tobacco companies use tobacco packaging as a way to promote and market their products and increase sales. In the absence of effective packaging and labeling requirements, the tobacco industry produces appealing packaging that creates brand recognition with the use of eye-catching colors, designs and trademarks. Tobacco companies exploit all elements of tobacco packaging to market their products including the outer film, tear tape, inner frame, pack inserts and onserts.

Tobacco use in Ukraine is a major public health problem that imposes a substantial health and economic burden on the country. On December 17, 2017, the government passed a seven-year plan (2018-2024) laying out annual increases in the price of cigarettes. This seven-year plan is significant as, for the first time in the history of tobacco excise taxes in Ukraine, annual increases in the specific tax rate imposed on cigarettes are mandatory for many years into the future.

This report provides an overview of the projected impacts of a policy that bans or restricts the use of flavors in tobacco products as well as evidence-based policy recommendations for maximizing public health benefits and minimizing unintended consequences.