Increasing taxes to make cigarettes more expensive could significantly reduce infant mortality, especially among poorer populations, according to a study in The Lancet. Researchers analyzed data from 94 low- and middle-income countries, revealing that higher tobacco taxation has the potential to substantially lower deaths in children under five.
The study highlighted that "only specific taxes (by quantity or weight) were associated with reducing socioeconomic inequalities in infant mortality," suggesting tax structures must be strategically designed. Small tax increases (around 10%) were found insufficient to produce significant effects across different income levels, underscoring the need for more substantial tax hikes to achieve public health benefits for children.
