Tobacco Taxation in Latin America and the Caribbean

In 2021 over 350 000 individuals died from tobacco use and second-hand smoke in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Over 40% of respiratory cancers in LAC were attributable to tobacco use and the smoking-attributable medical costs can reach up to 1.5% of GDP per year. The total social and economic costs of tobacco use significantly outweigh the tobacco tax revenue that is raised. The OECD Report Tobacco Taxation in Latin America and the Caribbean finds that countries in LAC have significant scope to improve the effectiveness of their tobacco tax policies and administration in order to reduce the prevalence and societal costs of tobacco use. The Report examines the trends and effects of tobacco consumption analyses tobacco tax revenue provides an extensive overview of tobacco tax policy design in the region discusses the need for tobacco tax reform and offers tobacco tax policy recommendations. The Report also provides detailed information on tobacco taxation in 18 countries in LAC (Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Costa Rica the Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Panama Paraguay Peru and Uruguay).