Excise tax to pave way for a healthier tomorrow

It is not so much for the sake of revenue as it is for the sake of health and well-being of all in the UAE. By imposing a 100 per cent tax on tobacco products and energy drinks, and slapping a 50 per cent excise charge on fizzy drinks, the government is hoping to make healthy eating easier for the people. The change might not happen overnight but the move certainly augurs well for a healthier future. There’s enough evidence at hand that links consumption of sugary drinks to rising levels of obesity and Type 2 diabetes, and smoking to cancer. Yet, many of us turn a blind eye and continue to consume saccharine-laden products like there is no tomorrow, and smoke our lives away. The problem is more pronounced with the younger generation in the UAE who have made fizzy drinks their staple diet. The World Health Organization estimates over 40 per cent of the adolescents in the UAE consume soft drinks every day. This is extremely worrisome for the overall health of society. Carbonated drinks are the largest sources of sugar and are open invitations to lifestyle diseases including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay. Decaying health conditions also put a strain on government coffers for treatment and care. As obesity tightens its grip on the emirates, healthcare spending in the UAE is expected to more than double to $47.5 billion by 2040. In a healthier society, this amount could have easily been channelised into more productive projects such as education.

One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. The excise tax being introduced today might not kick the habit of smoking or excessive consumption of sugar to extinction as yet, but it would certainly deter people and force them to make the right choice. We hope it dissuades adolescents and young adults from puffing on their cigarettes and other forms of tobacco, and encourages them to take on healthier options. When educational and awareness campaigns fail, harsher taxes such as these succeed.