The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for a 50% price increase on sugary drinks, alcohol, and tobacco over the next decade, pushing for taxation as a means to reduce chronic diseases and raise funds for health systems.
The initiative, called '3 by 35,' was unveiled at the United Nations Finance for Development conference in Seville earlier this week.
“Health taxes are one of the most efficient tools we have,” said Dr Jeremy Farrar, Assistant Director-General, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and Control, WHO.
“They cut the consumption of harmful products and create revenue governments can reinvest in health care, education, and social protection. It’s time to act,” Farrar added.
The WHO estimates that the initiative could generate $1 trillion by 2035, based on successful examples in countries such as Colombia and South Africa.
This is the first time the WHO has set a specific target for price increases on all three products, although it has advocated for tobacco taxes and price hikes on sugary drinks and alcohol in recent years.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the funds raised could help strengthen national health systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries struggling with aid cuts.
However, the tax proposal faces resistance from industry groups, with critics arguing that higher taxes won't effectively reduce health problems such as obesity or alcohol abuse.
Kate Loatman of the International Council of Beverages Associations and Amanda Berger of the Distilled Spirits Council expressed concerns that the proposed taxes would not lead to the intended health outcomes.
The initiative has garnered support from organizations such as Bloomberg Philanthropies, The World Bank, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and aims to assist countries that wish to implement these measures.
Gen Z protests swept 34 German cities on Saturday (31 October) over education, living costs and military service proposals. Violence erupted in Fra...
Iran designated Britain's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations on Sunday, (1 November), and classified the country's f...
Since 2021, only 9 per cent of $8 billion in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan can be traced beyond initial recipients in public re...
The U.S. has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth an estimated $2.1 billion, but Kyiv could face years of delays before receiving the weapons it urgently needs to defend against intensifying Russian attacks.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has ordered Iran's armed forces to respond to any threat immediately and without geographical limits in statements posted to social media platforms on Saturday (31 October).
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
A Chinese-made AI chip has matched Nvidia’s H200 in tests conducted by its developer, marking a potential breakthrough in China’s efforts to reduce its dependence on foreign technology.
A hacking group linked to North Korea is widely believed to be behind the theft of $6.3 billion from cryptocurrency giant Binance, a cyberattack that experts describe as the largest cryptocurrency heist on record.
Gen Z protests swept 34 German cities on Saturday (31 October) over education, living costs and military service proposals. Violence erupted in Frankfurt, where shops were looted and police reported Molotov cocktail attacks.
Iran designated Britain's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations on Sunday, (1 November), and classified the country's foreign intelligence agency, MI6, as a hostile group, according to a statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
Thousands protested in Albania's capital, Tirana, on Saturday (31 October), demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation over perceived corruption allegations and dissatisfaction with the government over a lack of jobs and poor education standards.
Russia has agreed to work with Ghana on developing a 2,000-megawatt nuclear power plant following talks at the Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said on Saturday.
Foreign ministers from the U.S., Japan, Australia and India raised concerns over export restrictions and economic coercion at a Quad meeting in Atlanta, U.S., on Saturday, 31 October 2026, according to their joint statement.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment