Knowledge Brief Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice .. THE ROLE OPTIONS FOR OF THE TOBACCO PRIVATE SECTOR TAXATION IN REPRODUCTIVE IN AFGHANISTAN HEALTH SERVICES André Medici, Bernard Haven, Lutfi Rahimi, IN BANGLADESH Sayed Ghulam Ahmed Al-Sabir, Bushra Binte Alam, November and Sameh2018 El-Saharty May 2014 KEY MESSAGES • Men are the primary consumers of tobacco products in Afghanistan: 48 percent of men from 15– 49 years of age that have ever been married use tobacco, compared with 6 percent of women. • Approximately 22 percent of adult men smoke cigarettes. An estimated 6.4 billion cigarettes are the growth of the young urban population. consumed domestically per year which will rise with .. • Around 5 percent of the disability-adjusted life years lost in Afghanistan can be directly attributed to tobacco use. • Gradually increasing cigarette import tax from 27.6% to 46.2% is estimated to generate an additional tax revenue of US$19.7 million in 2022, and a reduction of 5.1% in cigarette sales and 2.7% in the number of cigarette smokers. • Illicit re-exportation is estimated to account for 24 percent of cigarettes imported into Afghanistan each year. While higher tax rates may disrupt this trade, modeling indicates that gradual tax rate changes will result in higher net revenues due to the size of the domestic market. Tobacco Use in Afghanistan Men are the primary consumers of tobacco products in Afghanistan: 48 percent of men ages 15–49 who have ever Many forms of tobacco are used in Afghanistan—most been married use tobacco, compared with only 6 percent commonly cigarettes, chelam, chewing tobacco, and snuff, of women in the same group. Approximately 22 percent of in varying proportions in the different regions of the country. men in this group smoke cigarettes, compared to 1 percent of women. The Afghanistan Demographic and Health Survey 2015, published in 2017, provides insight into tobacco A 2010 survey on tobacco use in Kabul found that 72 consumption across the country and allows a percent of male smokers began smoking before the age of comprehensive analysis of some of its patterns. 20, suggesting that youth should be a focus of campaigns to prevent smoking. Page 1 HNPGP Knowledge Brief • There are no national data on tobacco use among according to IHME surveys based on epidemiological adolescents under 15 years of age and adults of 50 years records and peer-country trends. Tobacco is a high risk of age and older. This gap prevents a complete estimation factor for many diseases—ischemic heart disease, lower of the tobacco use profile in the country, necessitating respiratory infection, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary further data collection and analysis. disease, and lung, trachea, and bronchial cancer. In Afghanistan, higher urbanization, education, and income Tobacco-associated DALY losses have different weights in are associated with lower tobacco consumption and a the total burden of disease at different stages of the life preference for cigarettes. However, there is very little cycle in Afghanistan. In early ages (under 15 years old) the relative estimated losses are lower, but they increase with gradient in cigarette smoking across the income groups - age, acquiring higher weight in the age group 50-69 and from 19% in the lower to 24% in the top quintile. The data then declining in the age group of 70 years and older. also show a steep drop-off in use of other tobacco products in the highest two income groups. While only 19 percent of the population in the richest Generational differences in the forms of tobacco used may quintile uses tobacco, this percentage increases to 33.5 decrease or even disappear as younger generations grow percent in the poorest quintile. On the other hand, 41 older. As urbanization increases, cigarettes could be the percent of the patients diagnosed with cancer who are in main tobacco product used in the country in coming years. the richest quintile die by this disease, compared with 69 Almost 60 percent of male smokers consumed 10 or more percent in the poorest quintile. cigarettes per day in 2015, an indication of addiction. Equity Curves for Cigarette Consumption and Lung Cancer Rates of tobacco use and cigarette smoking are higher in (Morbitidy and Mortlity) by Income Quintiles In Afghanistan many of the provinces that are close to Afghanistan’s 2015 borders. As the country is not a significant tobacco 1 producer, additional research is needed to learn whether 0.8 higher tobacco use in these provinces is influenced by the illicit trade with neighboring countries. 0.6 0.4 Tobacco-Related Diseases 0.2 0 Tobacco may be a significant contributor to non- Exis Poorest Second Third Fourth Richest communicable diseases (NCDs) in Afghanistan. Around 36 percent of the Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY) losses Lung Cancer Incidence Lung Cancer Deaths were from causes of disability associated with tobacco, and Cigarette Consumption Equity Curve 5 percent of the DALY losses could be attributed directly to tobacco use in 2016, according to estimates from IHME. Mortality by lung cancer is much higher in the poorest- NCDs encompass common preventable and modifiable income households compared with the richest households. behavioral risk factors, and tobacco use is probably the This may be associated with the failure of health systems biggest risk. to detect lung cancer cases among the poorest population. From 2005 to 2016, tobacco remained the seventh-highest Many factors may responsible for this outcome, including risk factor for death and disability (combined) in long-term exposure to tobacco as a smoker or a secondary Afghanistan, increasing 19 percent during the period, smoker and lack of access to early or opportune diagnosis Page 2 HNPGP Knowledge Brief • and adequate treatment. Tax in December 2020 which will replace the BRT. This would raise the total tax rate on cigarettes to 34.8%. Given the age-related effects of smoking on lung, trachea, and bronchial cancer, mortality from this kind of cancer is Compared to the region, tobacco tax in Afghanistan is low. greater among the population aged 50-69 years and less Tax on cigarettes is 60.3% in Pakistan (excise and VAT), among the population aged 70 and above, which suffers while estimated average tax will rise to approximately 40% more from such other causes of mortality as cardiovascular in Iran this year. The WHO recommended tobacco tax rate diseases. is 70%. Tobacco imports in Afghanistan are estimated to be higher than domestic consumption. In 2017, total In the past 10 years, the health sector in Afghanistan made tobacco imports were approximately $117 million. considerable progress in reducing child and maternal mortality and controlling communicable diseases. Methods and Study Findings However, the burden of disease is shifting and NCDs are the main causes of death and morbidity in recent years. In METHODS this context, tobacco control is increasingly a priority for the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH). The study ran estimations of the impact of increasing tobacco taxation in Afghanistan using the WHO tax Legal Framework for Tobacco Taxation simulation model (TaXSim), and supplementary calculations were added for other types of tobacco, Afghanistan signed the World Health Organization customized for Afghanistan’s tax system. This approach Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in June 2004 allowed estimation of the impact of the tax instruments and and its membership was ratified in August 2010. tax rates on revenue generation, prices and consumption Afghanistan passed the Tobacco Control Law in 2015, against the baseline. which calls for increased tobacco taxation as well as measures to reduce demand for tobacco products. Patterns in four key indicators (average price of cigarette packs, sales volume, number of smokers, and tax Under this legal framework, import duties are specified as revenues) were used to run the simulations. The a mechanism to tax tobacco products. Article 20 of the simulations considered the average price elasticity of the Tobacco Control Law requires the Ministry of Finance demand for cigarettes in low-income countries (between - (MoF) “to increase customs tariffs up to fifty percent on the 0.6 and -0.8) modeled by premium, mid-priced, and import of cigarettes and other tobacco products.� economy brand names. In all scenarios, it was assumed that the 10 percent VAT would be introduced in December The law also seeks to reduce tobacco consumption by 2020. informing consumers about health risks of tobacco use. The law explicitly lists cigarettes, water-pipe [tobacco], Three scenarios were modeled in the study: hookah [tobacco], snuff, and other tobacco products. The MoF is required to monitor that imported products have Scenario 1 – Baseline with VAT. In this scenario, there “written and pictorial signs and symbols demonstrating the are no changes to tobacco-specific taxation. However, this risks of cigarettes in official languages of the country�. scenario accounts for the introduction of VAT in 2021 (the tax comes into effect in December 2020). Tobacco products in Afghanistan are generally imported and reached an import value of USD 117 million in 2017. Scenario 2 – Gradual increase in tariffs. In this scenario, Available data indicate that approximately 76% of imported tobacco-specific ad valorem tariffs are gradually cigarettes are consumed by the Afghan population, and introduced. To maintain a gradual change in rates, tariffs 24% are re-exported. do not change in 2021 when VAT is introduced. Tax rates on cigarettes are increased from 27.6% in 2019 to 33% in As of 2018, Afghanistan applies several tariffis and taxes 2020, 40.5% in 2021, and 46.2% in 2022. to tobacco products, primarily collected at import. Tariffs on Scenario 3 – Excise tax and tariff increases. In the final cigarettes are set of 20% of cost, insurance, and freight scenario, an excise tax is introduced on tobacco products (CIF). Other tobacco products have a 10% tariff, and based on the number of sticks (for cigarettes) while tariffs unmanufactured tobacco has a 5% tariff. All products are are applied to other tobacco products. This scenario has subject to a 4% business receipts tax (BRT) and a 2% fixed higher administrative costs associated with the introduction tax which are levied against CIF and tarffs. There are of a new tax type. currently no excise taxes in Afghanistan. The average total tax rate for cigarettes 27.6% of CIF. MAIN FINDINGS OF THE SIMULATIONS Afghanistan is planning to introduce a 10% Value-Added The scenarios provide straightforward options to raise an Page 3 HNPGP Knowledge Brief • additional $8 million to $21 million in annual revenues that Special attention would be required to ensure that the total could be used for social expenditures to improve living tax rates in Afghanistan do not significantly exceed those conditions in Afghanistan. At the same time, each option in Iran or Pakistan, to ensure that the flow of illicitly traded would reduce the consumption of tobacco products and the cigarettes is not reversed. associated burden of disease. The first option provides the least ambitious approach to tobacco taxation – continuing the current tariff regime while Conclusions introducing VAT. This option represents the outcome of making no other changes to tobacco taxation and is not Tobacco taxation offers an opportunity increase revenue recommended. generation while reducing tobacco use and its related morbidity and mortality. The second option (recommended by the authors) presents a compelling choice for policymakers. A gradual Considering this study’s estimations and correlating male increase in tariff rates could be accomplished with no tobacco smoking and lung cancer mortality by income additional investments in administrative capacity. It would levels, it is possible to estimate a reduction of 0.48% in lung be simple to implement and monitor. According this option, cancer mortality for each 1% reduction in the number of tax revenues for cigarettes will increase from USD30.9 to cigarettes smoked by the male population per year. USD 50.6 between 2019 to 2022 and cigarette consumption will be reduced from 6.4 to 6.1 billion in the These estimations require further research to be refined, same period, respectively. based on the collection of robust data that can provide detailed information to sophisticated and more precise estimation models, adjusted according to temporal effects Second Option - Tax Yield and Cigarette and including other relevant variables. However, there are Consumption with a Gradual Increase in very robust and consistent results across the world Billions of Cigarettes Consumed Domestically Tariffs 70 6.39 6.30 6.16 6.07 7 confirming that price increases can help to reduce tobacco 60 6 use, improve health and prevent premature mortality. Revenues in USD millions 50.57 50 44.87 5 Tobacco in Afghanistan affects the poor most profoundly – 40 36.69 4 not only their health status, but also their income levels. 30.90 Reducing tobacco use by increasing taxation could mean 30 3 healthier lives for the poor, contributing to the achievement 20 2 of the SDGs and supporting efforts to reduce poverty and 10 1 increase shared prosperity. - - 2019 2020 2021 2022 References Tax Yield Domestically Consumed Cigarettes Central Statistics Organization (CSO), Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), and ICF. 2017. Afghanistan Demographic and Health Survey, 2015. Kabul, Afghanistan. Finally, the third option would implement international good IHME 2018, Afghanistan. http://www.healthdata.org/afghanistan, practice, which suggests that a specific tax would reduce accessed on June 7, 2018. the likelihood that consumers and producers simply switch to lower cost tobacco products by applying a per-pack or This HNP Knowledge Brief highlights the key findings from a study by the World Bank on “Options for Tobacco Taxation in Afghanistan� by Andre per-stick tax to cigarettes. Medici, Bernard Haven, and Lutfi Rahimi (forthcoming). Given the high degree of uncertainty around the data and assumptions going into the model, adoption of any policy change would be best adopted on a gradual basis, with regular review of changes in domestic consumption of tobacco products, tax revenues, administrative costs, and illicit re-exportation. A gradual yearly increase of the total tax on cigarette imports taxes (second option) from 27.6% (2019 – base scenario) to 46.2% (2022) is estimated to generate additional annual tax revenue of $19.7 million by 2022. Cigarettes sales are estimated to fall by 5.1% and the number of cigarettes smokers is estimated to fall by 2.7%. Page 4