Effects of tobacco products taxes on consumption in Türkiye

Tobacco products taxes are a source of revenue for governments, but more importantly a strategy to reduce consumption of tobacco products and their associated health risks.

To investigate how tobacco products taxes have altered tobacco use in Türkiye.

This retrospective study collected data published between 2010 and 2023 on tobacco and tobacco products in Türkiye, including tobacco products taxes imposed by the government. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 22.0 and correlation analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between domestic cigarette and fine-cut tobacco sales.

Between 2010 and 2023, excise taxes on tobacco products varied between 19.2% and 34.2%. Consumer spending on fine-cut tobacco products per capita increased 42 694.6 folds due to an increase in the consumer price index. The annual number of cigarettes consumed per capita increased from 1266 in 2010 to 1609 in 2023 and fine-cut tobacco consumption per capita increased from 0.0037 g/year in 2010 to 106.8139 g/year in 2023. These increases in cigarette and fine-cut tobacco sales were attributed partly to population growth and a shift from cigarette consumption to fine-cut tobacco products consumption.

Although the main tobacco product consumed in Türkiye is industrial cigarettes, increasing the prices increased interest in fine-cut tobacco. Therefore, the production of cigarettes from fine-cut tobacco above the legal estimates reduced the effect of the tax on cigarette consumption. The taxation system needs to be reformed to prevent the effect of such alternatives.