Belize Rejects WHO Call for Higher Tobacco and Alcohol Taxes

The Ministry of Health and Wellness says it will not be increasing taxes on tobacco and alcohol as is being called to do by the World Health Organization.  Earlier this month, the organization launched a major initiative urging countries to raise the price of tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks by at least 50 percent by 2035 through health taxes. The WHO asserts that raising the price would curb chronic diseases and generate critical public revenue.  According to health officials, Belize is not there right now, but rather it is looking to finalize a Tobacco Bill with a focus on discouraging the sale and the use of tobacco.  Director of Public Health and Wellness, Dr. Melissa Diaz Musa, says the Bill would also regulate the marketing of tobacco.  

Dr. Melissa Diaz Musa, Director of Public Health and Wellness: “Well we have just started one meeting in that regard with PAHO, with our counterparts at PAHO. We have recently completed our Tobacco Bill. In the bill although taxes have been discussed it’s not a part of the bill at this time. What we want to do is we want to control the things that are in our country. Reducing the way that it’s marketed, doing health education campaigns about the problems that tobacco causes on health so we’re looking at these areas before taxes because as you know that would need significant consultation over the next few months. It’s not a unilateral decision, it’s not a decision just for the Ministry of Health. So we are trying to look at the things that awe can do to reduce sugary sweetened beverages. As I had explained to you with the Ministry of Education the healthy schools that’s looking at a gradual ban of sugar sweetened beverages in our schools. So we’re trying to ensure that we can cause some kind of impact, behavioral change and reduce persons wanting these sugar sweetened beverages or cigarettes and ways to help with the counseling and reduce that urge to drink alcohol excessively, to smoke cigarettes because it’s not just about like I had mentioned not just about saying don’t do it but finding out why and looking to try to solve this by looking at the reasons why young people are going towards alcohol and drugs.”

We note that data from the market research company IndexBox shows that Belize registered the highest per capita consumption of cigarettes containing tobacco in 2024, at an average of 50 units per person. The data also showed that Belize is among the top 3 importers of tobacco products in the region, with $52 million spent last year.