Tobacco, Alcohol Tax Increase Coming Soon in Philippines

The Philippines government said on Wednesday it is moving closer to raising tobacco and alcohol taxes after the Senate passed a bill aimed at weaning millions of smokers off the habit.

The Senate late Tuesday passed a bill that would raise 40 billion pesos (nearly $1 billion) in "sin taxes" each year, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said in a statement.

Alcoholic Liver Disease - Causes Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment FAQs
Encyclopedia section of medindia gives general information about Alcoholic Liver Disease.

It "also provides moderate tax increases to protect the young and the poor from the ill effects of smoking and excessive drinking", he added.

Under the proposed law, cigarette excise taxes would be gradually raised to 26 pesos (63 US cents) per pack by 2016, close to the 60 percent tax level recommended by the World Health Organization and the World Bank, he added.

The House of Representatives must pass its own version of the bill, now under deliberation, before a compromise measure integrating the Senate and House bills can be signed into law by President Benigno Aquino, himself a smoker.

Alcohol Abuse - Alcohol Addiction - Treatment � Rehab among Woman
Social drinking amongst women has become a fad. Stop it before it finishes you.

Filipinos are among the heaviest smokers in Southeast Asia with nearly one in five of its citizens smoking an average of around 15 cigarettes per day, according to the department of health.

A state briefing paper said this was partly due to the very low taxes on cigarettes, which sell at an average of 27.72 pesos a pack -- the lowest in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Antioxidants to Help You When You Quit Smoking
Smoking is injurious to health, but it sure is a tough addiction to stop. Cure yourself with the power of antioxidants to eliminate health risks such as lung cancer and dental problems.

Raising tobacco taxes by 10 percent would reduce the number of Filipino smokers by two million within four years and cut smoking-related deaths, it added.

The Senate bill would also bring Philippine taxation on distilled spirits into line with World Trade Organization rules, raising the excise tax on most distilled spirits by around 50 percent by 2015.

Health Hazards of Smoking Cigarettes
Smoking causes many diseases and affects the overall health of smokers.

Last year in a complaint filed by the United States, the WTO found the Philippines' lower taxes on some domestically produced spirits had violated the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

Source-AFP