Ratification of WHO protocol a must to stop illicit tobacco trade
Every tenth cigarette consumed globally is part of the illicit tobacco trade. While the smuggling of contraband tobacco products across national borders has always been profitable, the illegal tobacco trade is now the trademark for organised crime networks, which may also be involved in drugs, human and arms trafficking, as well as terrorism. Cigarettes are becoming a preferred item to smuggle because it’s easy and unlike smuggling narcotics, punishment for smuggling tobacco is less severe. The tobacco industry claims that high taxes drive smuggling. It also lobbies governments to keep tobacco taxes low. However, experience from many countries shows that there is no direct correlation between high taxes and smuggling.
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