Whether or not it is worth raising the prices of cigarettes is a rhetorical question. All over the world, prices for tobacco products have risen, are growing and will continue to rise as long as there is demand for them. Another question is how to raise them competently?
Supporters of radical methods of fighting smoking insist on a significant (several times) increase in prices for tobacco products. Say, high prices will be able to reason and force many citizens to put an end to their addiction and, thereby, significantly extend their lives.
Opponents of these methods object, they say, such measures will lead to the emergence of a shadow tobacco economy and cause great discontent among a significant part of the population.
Smokers themselves are significantly silent, periodically transparently hinting that if tobacco prices rise significantly, they, in protest, will start smoking even more, and their non-smokers will suffer from high tobacco prices.
And all of them, each in their own way, are right in some way.
Gloomy statistics
Statistics show that tobacco products in Russia are one of the cheapest in the world, and in terms of the number of smokers as a percentage of non-smokers, the Russian Federation firmly holds one of the first places.
For comparison: in the EU countries a pack of cigarettes costs about 5 euros, and in the Russian Federation - 80-90 euro cents. The number of smokers in European countries is almost 10% lower than in Russia.
It is also necessary to take into account the fact that tobacco products all over the world are excisable goods, and therefore serve as one of the sources of replenishment of national budgets. Here the statistics are also not in favor of Russia. In the Russian Federation, this item of income in 2013 amounted to only 0.5% of the state budget
In monetary terms, the Russian budget on tobacco excise taxes last year earned slightly more than $ 5 billion.
while, for example, in the most "non-smoker" in Europe Poland, this figure was almost 8 times higher.
So the demands to raise prices for tobacco products in Russia look quite reasonable.
The skeptics' arguments
Skeptics, against all of these obvious benefits from rising tobacco prices, can make some pretty compelling arguments.
Smokers, who may not be able to afford their bad habit in the event of a rise in price, will inevitably start looking for a way out of this situation.
Some of them will be forced to switch to cheaper and more harmful types of cigarettes. The other will start looking for illegal, that is, smuggled ways to get tobacco. There will also be those who will start growing self-garden in their own gardens.
There are also real concerns in the ruling circles. A sharp jump in the price of tobacco products can lead to a serious increase in discontent in society, which can have catastrophic consequences for power structures. After all, not only smokers themselves, but also non-smoking members of their families will oppose high prices for tobacco.
However, there is certainly a way out of this situation. Provided that the price increases for tobacco products will be based on the experience of other countries. First, we need a clear step-by-step state plan that takes into account the real income of the population. And secondly, competent propaganda. People need to be constantly educated about the goals of tobacco pricing. Funds received from tobacco excise taxes should be directed to the development of medicine and annually report in detail on their use. Perhaps then, even many smokers will perceive the rise in cigarette prices as not a very pleasant, but necessary measure.
