Macau’s Health Bureau says it is looking to raise tobacco taxes as a means of curbing smoking and related health issues.
Citing the World Health Organization’s 2015 report on tobacco, the bureau listed statistics of health-related problems associated with smoking, saying that over 17 percent of the city’s cancer-related deaths each year are caused by smoking and second-hand smoke
“The WHO suggests that raising taxes on tobacco is an effective means to reduce the number of smokers, which thereby reduces occurrences of diseases caused by tobacco use and promotes health,” said the bureau.
The bureau’s statement chimes with the debate underway in the Legislative Assembly to pass a blanket smoking bill in casinos, including in private gambling rooms.
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