Page 77 - TAIWAN TOBACCO CONTROL ANNUAL REPORT 2019

for a period of several weeks, several months or up to a year. Local health bureaus also organized and implemented youth smoking cessation courses to help youths quit smoking. Peer support for strengthening the motive and personal performance for smoking cessation were used to help youths who wished to quit smoking. Pricing Measures Smoking and second-hand smoke are leading causes for many diseases and deaths. The WHO pointed out that 8 million people die every year from smoking-related hazards. In other words, one person would die from smoking-related causes every 4.5 seconds. The WHO also recommended increasing tobacco product surcharges to raise their prices as this was regarded as the most effective strategy of tobacco control. The Increase of Tobacco Health and Welfare Surcharges The Ministry of Health and Welfare levies Tobacco Health and Welfare Surcharges pursuant to the regulations set forth in Article 4 of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act to prevent tobacco hazards and safeguard people’s health. It is stipulated that these surcharges shall be used exclusively for National Health Insurance reserves, cancer prevention, enhancement of the quality of medical care, subsidies for areas with a shortage of medical resources, medical subsidies for rare diseases, health insurance premium subsidies for financially challenged individuals, tobacco control at national and local levels, promotion of public health and social welfare, long-term care, investigation of smuggling of inferior tobacco products, prevention of tax evasion for tobacco products, and guidance and care for farmers and workers in related industries. This surcharge increases the price of harmful substances and thereby inhibits sales growth. The tobacco surcharge is earmarked for special purposes and shall be allocated as legally stipulated. It is currently mostly used for prevention of tobacco hazards and rare diseases, cancer screening and prevention, and health promotion. In view of the current financial difficulties of local governments, health budgets are tight. The Tobacco Health and Welfare Surcharges have therefore turned into a key source of funds for health care provided by local governments. The Taiwanese health care system owes its high ranking in the world not merely to its sound system of medical care and high professional standard but rather to the insistence on a public system from prevention to health promotion. The surcharge has therefore great significance for the funding of disease prevention and health promotion. Assessing the Increase of Tobacco Health and Welfare Surcharges Pursuant to the regulation prescribed in Paragraph 1 of Article 4 of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act: "The Health and Welfare Surcharge shall be imposed on tobacco products, the amount of which shall be as follows: (1) Cigarettes: NTD 1,000 every one thousand sticks. (2) Cut tobacco: NTD 1,000 every kilogram. (3) Cigars: NTD 1,000 every kilogram. (4) Other tobacco products: NTD 1,000 every kilogram." Pursuant to the regulation prescribed in Paragraph 2 of Article 4 of the same Act: "The competent authority at the central government level and the Ministry 75 Reducing the Demand for Tobacco