Abstract
Taxation of tobacco is a widely-used strategy that prompts smoking cessation among adults and reduces cigarette consumption among continuing smokers. Registered Indian tobacco use prevalence is at least double that of the rest of Canadians and is in part due to the lower cost of tobacco products purchased on reserve by Registered Indians (RIs) as they are tax exempt. Although registered Indian communities have the ability to collect tax on tobacco products and direct the use of these revenues, this strategy is rarely utilized. Tobacco taxation could have substantial health and economic benefits to RI communities, but perhaps is not culturally-appropriate. In order to better support RI communities, governments and other organizations need to examine this policy instrument in the context of RI populations.
MeSH terms: Indigenous population, natives, taxation, nicotine, smoking
Résumé
La perception de taxes sur le tabac est une stratégie très répandue qui incite les adultes à renoncer au tabac et qui réduit la consommation de cigarettes chez les personnes qui continuent de fumer. La prévalence du tabagisme chez les Indiens inscrits est au moins le double de celle du reste des Canadiens, ce qui s’explique en partie par le prix plus faible (car exempt de taxe) des produits du tabac achetés dans les réserves par les Indiens inscrits. Les collectivités d’Indiens inscrits peuvent percevoir des taxes sur les produits du tabac et décider de l’utilisation de ces recettes, mais elles utilisent rarement cette stratégie. La taxation des produits du tabac pourrait procurer des avantages sanitaires et économiques considérables aux collectivités d’Indiens inscrits, mais elle n’est peut-être pas adaptée à leur réalité culturelle. Pour mieux appuyer ces collectivités, les gouvernements et autres organismes doivent examiner l’outil d’intervention que représente la taxation des produits du tabac dans le contexte des populations d’Indiens inscrits.
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