By Kabuye Ronald
The Ugandan government has been urged to align with the World Health Organization (WHO)’s recommendation of imposing a 70% tax on all tobacco products in order to address the serious health, social, and economic consequences associated with tobacco use.
The call was made by tobacco control advocates, led by Richard Baguma Tinkasimiire, the National Coordinator of the Uganda Health Communication Alliance (UHCA), during a media orientation on tobacco taxation. The session also emphasized the critical role journalists can play in advancing public health and advocating for the broader socio-economic benefits of effective tax policies.
“There is no budget for tobacco control, even within the Ministry of Health. That’s short-sighted on the part of government,” said Baguma. “Increasing taxes on tobacco products, as recommended by WHO, not only boosts government revenue but also reduces pressure on the health budget, protects our young people, and promotes a healthier environment.”
Baguma further criticized Parliament and the Ministry of Finance for failing to raise tobacco taxes, despite clear evidence and international guidelines.
“It is myopic for our policymakers not to act. Uganda is a signatory to WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which recommends a 70% excise duty on tobacco products. The government ends up bearing the cost of treating tobacco-related illnesses like cancer and heart disease. We must also prioritize education, especially for young women, who are increasingly being targeted by the tobacco industry.”
He also raised concerns about the evolving marketing strategies of tobacco companies, warning that tobacco products are being packaged to appear attractive and harmless.
“The industry is now packaging tobacco to look like cookies, sweets, lipsticks, and even children’s toys. E-cigarettes can look like chocolate or cosmetics, making them difficult to detect, even for enforcement officers. This deceptive marketing is luring more youth into addiction,” Baguma noted.
He also pointed to regulatory loopholes and corruption that allow illegal products to flood the market.
“Many unregulated tobacco products are smuggled in, especially by some Chinese and Indian traders, under the guise of road construction materials. These products often enter the country tax-free and evade regulation, which must be addressed and condemned.”
According to the 2023 Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), approximately 6.7% of Ugandans aged 15 and above use tobacco products, a slight but notable decline from previous years. However, tobacco-related harm remains significant.
The Ministry of Health estimates that tobacco use causes around 13,000 deaths annually. Exposure to second hand smoke also affects over 1.7 million children in homes and 2.7 million people in public spaces.
Data from the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) reveals that over 38 Ugandans die every day from tobacco-related illnesses. In 2017 alone, the government spent UGX 108.05 billion (USD 41.56 million) on treating diseases attributable to tobacco use—far exceeding the revenue generated from tobacco taxes that year.
Health experts argue that increasing tobacco taxes would not only reduce consumption but also help cover healthcare costs, preventing more lives from being lost to tobacco-related diseases.
