Just the Tobacco consumption is associated with the death of 63,000 people a year, while heart disease, diabetes mellitus and malignant tumors are placed as the three main causes of death In the country.
Just, at the end of August, the World Bank He pointed out that to reduce premature deaths, Mexico needed to “urgently improve” tobacco consumption taxes, alcohol and sugary drinks.
“Healthy taxes are an effective instrument to correct market failures and are the most cost-effective way to prevent noncommunicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes or cardiovascular diseases,” he said.
According to the report “Healthy taxes for a healthier Mexico” it was intended to put a tax of $ 3 pesos per cigarette; $ 0.12 pesos per gram of sugar in sugary drinks and $ 0.75 pesos per milliliter of pure alcohol in alcoholic beverages.
According to the bank, taxes would go down 44% The consumption of cigarettes, 42% alcohol and 32% of sugary drinksThey could also contribute 0.5% of GDP to the budget.
The proposal of the Ministry of Finance is Increase the Special Tax on Production and Services (IEPS) to 3,0818 pesos per liter of flavored drinks, including any type of non -caloric sugars.
For carved tobacco, it is intended to raise the rate AD VALEEM From 160 to 200%, as well as establish a gradual increase in the specific fee until 2030, with a transition period between fiscal exercises from 2026 to 2029, in addition to incorporating new products that contain nicotine (called “nicotine bags”). As for the handmade tobacco, it is proposed to raise the rate AD VALEEM to 32%.
The justification is that The consumption of flavored beverages contributes to the fact that 76.2% of the population over 20 years present overweight or obesityconditions associated with diseases such as diabetes, cardiac conditions, cancer, osteoarthritis and metabolic disorders.
As for tobacco, sufferings such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, cerebrovascular attacks and pneumoconiosis are associated.
The Secretary of Health, David Kershenobich, is emphatic in the damage caused by the consumption of sugary drinks. Last May, during a press conference by President Claudia Sheinbaum, he said Each Mexican consumes on average 166 liters of soda per year which makes Mexico in one of the countries that most consume sugary drinks.
“Healthy taxes” seeks to discourage the consumption of products that affect the physical and mental health of the population; However, they would have a direct impact on the Mexican portfolio.
According to the enight 2024, Households allocate 11 times more resources to the consumption of food, drinks and tobacco than health.
The INEGI survey showed that the Mexicans allocated on average 17,982 pesos for food, drinks and tobacco, while disbursing around 1,605 pesos to receive medical care in private or pharmacies, despite the fact that 63% of the population had some public ascription in 2024.
