Cigarette Excise Taxes in Context: Cautionary Lessons from the U.S. Experience.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Economics
• Policy Studies

Background:

• Cigarette excise taxes are a key strategy in the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to reduce global tobacco consumption.
• Neoliberal economic policies promoting state withdrawal from the economy may conflict with tobacco control objectives.
• Cigarette excise taxes can be misconstrued as punitive economic measures, particularly impacting lower-income populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review historical collaborations between progressive organizations and the tobacco industry in the US during the 1980s and 1990s.
• To identify potential sources of resistance to cigarette excise tax increases.
• To highlight the tobacco industry's methods of influencing policy through third-party surrogates.

Main Methods:

• Historical review of collaborations between progressive organizations and the tobacco industry.
• Analysis of tobacco industry tactics in policy engagement.
• Examination of the intersection between tobacco control and neoliberal economic policies.

Main Results:

• The tobacco industry has a demonstrated capacity to engage in policy debates, often using third-party surrogates.
• Past collaborations reveal potential for unanticipated resistance to cigarette excise tax policies.
• The framing of excise taxes is crucial to avoid perceptions of economic punishment.

Conclusions:

• Tobacco control objectives should be clearly separated from broader economic policy measures.
• Building alliances with organizations focused on economic fairness is essential for tobacco control advocates.
• Addressing mutual concerns can strengthen the implementation and acceptance of cigarette excise tax increases.