scholarly journals Empirical analysis on the illicit trade of cigarettes in Vietnam

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (Suppl 4) ◽  
pp. s281-s286
Author(s):  
Hien Thi Thu Nguyen ◽  
Long Thanh Giang ◽  
Toan Ngoc Pham
Keyword(s):  
Steering Committee ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Excise Tax ◽  
Illicit Trade ◽  
Tobacco Taxes ◽  
Consumption Data ◽  
The Government ◽  
Tax Changes ◽  
Smoking And Health ◽  
Negative Volume

BackgroundThis paper examined how a higher tax on tobacco would affect illicit trade in Vietnam.Methodology and dataThis paper used the gap method to estimate the gap between cigarette domestically tax-paid sales and domestic consumption. Data were from the tax-paid sales by the Vietnam Steering Committee on Smoking and Health (VINACOSH), the Vietnam Tobacco Association, the General Tax Department, as well as two rounds of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey in 2010 and 2015.Key resultsThe results indicated that Vietnam had a negative volume of illicit trade, either a result of under-reporting of tobacco use or due to net smuggling of tax-paid cigarettes out of the country. Furthermore, the trend showed an increased negative volume over time, which indicated that increases in tobacco taxes in the interleading years did not result in an increase in illicit trade in tobaccos in Vietnam.ConclusionsVietnam’s low prices on domestic cigarettes created favourable conditions for cigarette smugglers and provided easy access to illicit cigarettes for the Vietnamese people, but the absence of a relationship between tax changes and smuggling suggested that potential increases in the excise tax should not be discouraged by the threat of an increase in illicit trade. The government should increase taxes on cigarettes to raise domestic cigarette prices and take strong policy measures to create a more transparent social environment, therefore effectively reducing the prevalence of illicit cigarettes in Vietnam.

scholarly journals Tobacco taxation, illegal cigarette supply and geography: findings from the ITC Uruguay Surveys

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. s53-s60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dardo Curti ◽  
Ce Shang ◽  
Frank J Chaloupka ◽  
Geoffrey T Fong
Keyword(s):  
Tobacco Control ◽  
Significant Role ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Distribution Networks ◽  
Illicit Trade ◽  
Tobacco Taxes ◽  
Control Evaluation ◽  
Illegal Cigarettes ◽  
Tax Changes ◽  
Tobacco Taxation

BackgroundIn Uruguay, real tobacco taxes increased significantly during 2005–2010 and 2014–2017 and decreased during 2010–2014. The effects of these tax changes on illegal and legal cigarette usage differed significantly when we compared cities in the middle and south of the country with cities on the border.ObjectiveThis paper analyses whether supply side factors such as geographical location, distribution networks and the effectiveness of tobacco control play a significant role in sales and use of illegal cigarettes when tobacco taxes change, particularly given the price gap between legal and lower-priced illegal cigarettes.MethodsUsing the International Tobacco Control Evaluation Project Uruguay Survey data (2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014), choices among illegal, legal and roll-your-own cigarettes are estimated as a function of smokers’ geographical location, an indicator of illegal cigarette supply, and controlling for socioeconomic and demographic variables. Smoking behaviours in Montevideo, Durazno and Maldonado were compared with those in two border cities, Salto and Rivera, where illegal cigarette prevalence may differ.FindingsAn increase in taxes on manufactured legal and roll-your-own cigarettes increased the odds that smokers in cities near the borders and women switched down to illegal cigarettes. City geographical location, controls effectiveness and distribution networks may play a significant role in accessibility of illegal cigarettes. To improve the effectiveness of increased taxes and prices in reducing smoking, policy-makers may consider specific policies intended to reduce access to illegal cigarettes, such as ratification and effective implementation of the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products of WHO.

Migration and US agricultural competitiveness

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip L. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Farm Workers ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Foreign Born ◽  
Guest Workers ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Short Run ◽  
Lower Wage ◽  
The Government ◽  
The One

Agriculture has one of the highest shares of foreign-born and unauthorized workers among US industries; over three-fourths of hired farm workers were born abroad, usually in Mexico, and over half of all farm workers are unauthorized. Farm employers are among the few to openly acknowledge their dependence on migrant and unauthorized workers, and they oppose efforts to reduce unauthorized migration unless the government legalizes currently illegal farm workers or provides easy access to legal guest workers. The effects of migrants on agricultural competitiveness are mixed. On the one hand, wages held down by migrants keep labour-intensive commodities competitive in the short run, but the fact that most labour-intensive commodities are shipped long distances means that long-run US competitiveness may be eroded as US farmers have fewer incentives to develop labour-saving and productivity-improving methods of farming and production in lower-wage countries expands.

scholarly journals Analysis of the illicit tobacco market in Georgia in response to fiscal and non-fiscal tobacco control measures

2021 ◽  
pp. tobaccocontrol-2020-056404
Author(s):  
Megan Little ◽  
Hana Ross ◽  
George Bakhturidze ◽  
Iago Kachkachishvili
Keyword(s):  
Tobacco Control ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Tobacco Consumption ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Cigarette Consumption ◽  
Control Law ◽  
Excise Tax ◽  
Cigarette Taxes ◽  
Illicit Trade ◽  
Cigarette Pack

BackgroundGeorgian illicit cigarette consumption was 1.5% in 2017. In 2018, a new tobacco control law took effect followed by a substantial cigarette excise tax increase in 2019. Research shows these policies reduce tobacco consumption, but the tobacco industry argues they increase illicit trade. There is limited evidence on this, particularly from developing countries.MethodsA panel household survey in Georgia obtained data over three waves: 2017 baseline, 2018 after the tobacco control law took effect and 2019 after taxes increased. A sample of 1578 smokers (and quitters in later waves) from five regions reported their tobacco use and were asked to present a cigarette pack in their possession. These were examined for tax stamps and health warnings to establish legality.FindingsThere was no evidence of an increase in illicit cigarette consumption in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Akhaltsikhe or Gori in any wave. In Zugdidi, near the Russian-occupied Abkhazia, illicit cigarette consumption was increasing even prior to the tax increase, reaching 30.9% by wave 3. A country-wide shift occurred from manufactured cigarettes to roll-your-own tobacco (whose tax remained unchanged) between waves 2 and 3.ConclusionNo evidence of a country-wide increase in illicit cigarette trade was found after non-fiscal tobacco measures took effect and cigarette taxes increased. Relatively high illicit cigarette consumption in Zugdidi highlights the role of disputed territories and border administration in illicit cigarette supply. Substitution towards roll-your-own tobacco after manufactured cigarette taxes increased demonstrates the importance of equalising taxes on tobacco products to maximise public health benefits.

scholarly journals All India Grievance Redressal App

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-99
Author(s):  
Viral Patel ◽  
Daanyaal Kapadia ◽  
Deval Ghevariya ◽  
Shiburaj Pappu
Keyword(s):  
Easy Access ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
The Government ◽  
The One ◽  
The Cost

Citizens of the India face civic problems in their day-to-day lives. They resort to the one of many ways provided by the government to file their complaints. The grievance registration systems have evolved in many ways with the advancement in technologies to simplify the task. This paper presents the architecture of a Grievance redresser Application where the civilians can address any kind of complain which they are facing. The main focus of the project is about the pothole related complains. One of the most difficult task for the government officials to estimate the total time and material required to fill the pothole of widely spaced roads, this is one of the major problem faced by government authorities which leads to delaying in repairing the pothole and increased the cost to fill a particular pothole. This Application will give easy access to people to put their complaints towards the government.

scholarly journals Smart health cards or health smart cards?

2009 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 3
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Smart Card ◽  
Credit Card ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Business Case ◽  
Smart Cards ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Health And Social Services ◽  
Other Information ◽  
The Government

THERE IS PLENTY OF ACTIVITY throughout the world focusing on encrypting personal health (and other) information on credit card-sized plastic ?smart? cards. These cards are embedded with a computer chip and could provide easy access to essential health information. As with many new technologies, there is debate about smart cards in health. In July 2004 the Federal Minister for Health and Ageing at that time, the Hon Tony Abbott, announced that ?Australians will have access to a new Medicare smart card as part of the government?s electronic health agenda to improve the quality and accessibility of patient information across the health system?.1 This led to the introduction of the Health and Social Services smart card initiative. The business case for this initiative suggested that this card could replace around 17 government issued ?health? cards, while improving proof of identify arrangements.2 While in opposition, the Labor Party opposed the notion of the smart card, claiming it was an identity card by stealth,3 and at the time of writing, it appears that the health smart card has been put on the backburner while the Government sorts out the priorities. In this issue, Mohd Rosli and his Melbourne colleagues report on a study of patient and staff perceptions about health smart cards (page 136). In this study, 270 emergency department patients and 92 staff completed self-administered questionnaires. The findings among patients and staff generally supported the introduction of smart cards with the majority reporting that the advantages outweighed the disadvantages. The majority of the respondents indicated that the cards should be brought into use, and that they would use one if offered. However, the study did find that a large proportion of staff and patients were not aware of health smart cards at all. A fundamental change in the structure of our relationship with the government had been proposed through the Health and Social Services smart card initiative, and yet the findings of this study suggest that the Australian public was ill prepared to discuss the implications. Where is the information sharing, the discussion and the debate that can help shape our health care system for the future? In our last issue of 2008 we included a call for student papers. I would like to remind all readers of this important initiative, reproduced overleaf, as I believe this is an effective way to begin to encourage the necessary discussion and debate.

scholarly journals Illicit Trade in Russian Gold and Silver Coins in West China in 1850's (based on the Materials of the Russian Consul K. A. Skachkov)

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-97
Author(s):  
I. R. Hamzin
Keyword(s):  
Historical Analysis ◽  
West China ◽  
Illicit Trade ◽  
Russian State ◽  
Trading Activities ◽  
The Government ◽  
Chinese Trade ◽  
State Library ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Cost Of Transportation

The present research featured the illicit trade in Russian gold and silver coins in Xinjiang in the 1850's. The paper focuses on the problems of control and customs services, as well as on the difficulties connected with the trade in Russian goods. The historical analysis was based on the documents written by Konstantin Adrianovich Skachkov, the then Russian Consul in Chuguchak. The materials were obtained from the Research Department of Manuscripts of the Russian State Library. In his report, Consul K. A. Skachkov compared the state of the markets of the Russian-Chinese trade in Chuguchak and Kyakhta. He highlighted the broad prospects for trade development in Xinjiang. The Consul paid great attention to the problems on the young market of Central Asia and proposed some measures to improve the situation. He performed a comparative analysis of the trading activities of a Russian merchant and a smuggler. The analysis makes it possible to reconstruct the trading process, determine the cost of transportation, and formulate the commercial benefit resulting from the legal trade and the contraband trade. K. A. Skachkov concluded that despite the high potential for trade development, the region was torn apart by substantial internal contradictions and demanded greater attention from the government. The illicit trade in Russian coins was caused by the barter trading on the Xinjiang market in 1850's.

scholarly journals Turning a threat into an opportunity: British American Tobacco’s weakening of the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products

2021 ◽  
pp. tobaccocontrol-2020-055837
Author(s):  
Benoît Gomis ◽  
Allen William Andrew Gallagher ◽  
Andy Rowell ◽  
Anna B Gilmore
Keyword(s):  
Tobacco Products ◽  
Implementation Phase ◽  
Illicit Trade ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Tobacco Taxes ◽  
Philip Morris ◽  
National Implementation ◽  
Legal Costs ◽  
Illicit Tobacco Trade ◽  
Final Text

BackgroundPrevious research has outlined transnational tobacco company (TTC) efforts to undermine implementation of the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (Protocol) and evidence of ongoing TTC complicity in the illicit tobacco trade (ITT). However, the industry’s views on the Protocol and role in its development are not well understood.MethodsSystematic searching and analysis of leaked documents—approximately 15 000 from British American Tobacco (BAT) and 35 from Philip Morris International, triangulated via searches of online resources and interviews with five stakeholders across academia, international organisations, governments, civil society and the private sector.FindingsEvidence indicates that after privately viewing the Protocol as a significant threat (2003), BAT worked to influence its content, while publicly signalling support for it (2007–2012), and was largely satisfied with the final text. BAT successfully pushed for a non-prescriptive text which enabled further country-level TTC influence during the Protocol’s implementation phase. The final text also reflected other BAT policy preferences, including preventing outright bans on duty-free sales and intermingling, and making it difficult to sanction and hold tobacco companies accountable for ongoing involvement in the ITT. TTC representatives were present during early Protocol negotiations, despite rules against this, and BAT obtained draft texts before they were public and paid at least one delegate to support its position.ConclusionsBAT’s primary interest in shaping the Protocol was to minimise its financial and legal costs for BAT while maximising potential costs to small competitors. These findings raise concern about the Protocol’s ability to control the ITT, particularly given TTCs’ intention to influence ongoing national implementation. An effective Protocol is vital to controlling both the ITT and ongoing tobacco industry involvement in it and, in turn, governments’ ability to increase tobacco taxes and thereby save lives.

scholarly journals A qualitative exploration of the factors associated with initiation to crystal use in Iran.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shirin Shahbazi Sighaldeh ◽  
Fatemeh Zarghami ◽  
Ali Shahryari ◽  
Ali Mohammadinia ◽  
Mohsen Ebrahimi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Addiction Treatment ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Crystal Methamphetamine ◽  
Golestan Province ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Government ◽  
Qualitative Exploration

Abstract Background: Crystal (methamphetamine) is a strong stimulant of addictive substances that affects the central nervous system. The consumption of this substance is increasing among teenagers and adult young people in the country. In this matter, one of the practical and important ways to its control is to identify the factors leading to its first use. Thus this paper, explores the factors related to the first crystal use in Golestan province, Iran.Methods: In a qualitative study, 19 crystal users were recruited in the study conducted in Golestan province by snowball sampling from DIC (Drop-In Center) in addiction treatment centers. The interviews were mostly carried out individually with the participants; only one interview was conducted in an addiction treatment camp in the form of a group-focused discussion. Data analysis was implemented through content analysis in MAXQDA 10 software.Results: The mean age of the participants was 35.05± 6.06 years with a range of 23-46 years. Meanwhile, the mean of crystal use period was 7.42 (SD:3.61) and a range of 1-14 years. Based on the obtained data, the reasons for first crystal use could be categorized in six; 1: "crystal use to other drugs rehabilitation"; 2: "Lack of awareness of the addictive nature of crystal"; 3: “stimulating curiosity in public with crystal-use friends” , 4: affordable and convenient use”, 5: "anti-sleeping effects and increasing work efficiency", and 6: "therapeutic and other misconceptions”".Conclusions: The results indicated that crystal is mostly abused to opium rehabilitation. The lack of awareness and misconceptions about this substance can lead people to crystal use. Therefore, designing public health interventions to increase awareness about negative consequences of crystal use is fundamental to prevent people from abusing it. We suggest designing public health program to promote awareness about health risks of crystal and modifying related misconceptions. Finally, the government can establish policies to mandate sale tax for crystal producers and reduce easy access to crystal especially among youth.

scholarly journals Estonia: Problems created by border-trade for applying high-tax alcohol policy

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
T Täht ◽  
H Laarmann
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Global Strategy ◽  
Alcohol Policy ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
Policy Document ◽  
Excise Tax ◽  
Awareness Campaigns ◽  
Border Trade ◽  
The Government ◽  
Over Exploitation

Abstract In early 2000s, Estonia had one of the highest levels of alcohol consumption globally. In 2008, the average salary could buy 62 litres of strong spirits, compared with 28 litres in 2000; the increase of affordability was one of the highest in the EU. Since then, alcohol consumption per capita has been reduced by a third, which has also led to a reduction in related problems: mortality from alcohol-related illnesses has fallen by 40%. This was achieved with the progressive adoption of measures that rely heavily, but not exclusively, on increasing excise taxes. In 2014 a comprehensive alcohol policy document was adopted, paving the way to the measures in all 10 areas of WHO global strategy to reduce harmful use of alcohol. Since then Estonia has launched treatment programme and awareness campaigns, restricted advertising and the exposure of alcohol in the public sphere. By 2017, the over-exploitation of the tax-based measures backfired. The twofold alcohol price difference between Estonia and Latvia, resulting from doubling the excise tax for beer and raising significantly those for other alcoholic beverages, caused an unintended increase in cross-border trade between the two countries. This, in turn, caused a new wave of public discussion around pricing policies, and a loss of popular support for tax increases. As a first step to address the problem, the government halved the tax increase planned for February 2018, thus increasing beer tax by 9% and spirits tax by 5%. Tax increases scheduled for 2019 and 2020 were cancelled, and taxes on spirits, beer and cider were cut by 25% instead. This resulted in Latvia decreasing their spirits taxes by 15% in turn. This development forces health promoters to seek new ways to reduce harm to public health and win back support to healthy policy choices.

scholarly journals Tobacco industry tactics in response to cigarette excise tax increases in Mauritius

2019 ◽  
pp. tobaccocontrol-2019-055196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Berthet Valdois ◽  
Corne Van Walbeek ◽  
Hana Ross ◽  
Hema Soondram ◽  
Bhavish Jugurnath ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tobacco Control ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Control Policy ◽  
Retail Price ◽  
Mixed System ◽  
Specific System ◽  
The Real ◽  
Excise Tax ◽  
Real Value ◽  
The Government

BackgroundIn response to high smoking rates, especially among men, Mauritius launched a National Action Plan on Tobacco Control in 2008. It changed its tax system from a mixed system to a uniform specific system. Despite these interventions, cigarette consumption and smoking prevalence in Mauritius decreased only marginally in the subsequent decade.MethodUsing publicly available data, we decompose the retail price of cigarettes into tax and net-of-tax components, between 2011 and 2017. We cover premium, popular and economy cigarettes.ResultsSince its introduction in 2008, the nominal excise tax was increased six times. Between 2011 and 2017, the real value of the excise tax increased by 47%. Meanwhile, British American Tobacco (BAT) increased the real net-of-tax price of premium cigarettes by 61.8% and of popular cigarettes by 47.2%, thus overshifting the tax increase. On economy cigarettes, BAT decreased the real net-of-tax price by 14.7%, thus undershifting the excise tax increase.ConclusionThrough its pricing strategy, BAT has greatly undermined Mauritius’s tobacco control policy. However, BAT cannot continue undershifting the excise tax on economy brands, since the net-of-tax proportion of the retail price is very low already. BAT would have little choice but to increase the retail price on economy brands in response to future excise tax increases. The government of Mauritius is encouraged to keep the specific excise tax structure but to increase the rate at which it is levied.

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