Senegal hikes tax on tobacco by 10%.

The Senegalese National Assembly enacted Wednesday Feberuary 4th a law to raise taxes on tobacco and alcohol from 30% to 40%, local newspapers reported Thursday.
Source: PANA
See also the much more critical comment (in French) by local tobacco control advocates.

The 40% rate is the maximum authorised by the community law of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), explained the Minister of State for Economy and Finance, Abdoulaye Diop, who defended the draft law before the parliamentarians.

During voting, several parliamentarians denounced the increase in the consumption of alcohol and tobacco, which, they said, constituted a "major preoccupation"due to its serious consequences on the health of populations and to the high cost of health and social cares.

According to Diop, the new law aims at fighting addiction to smoking and alcohol , adding that the previous tax measures had little impact on the rampant of tobacco and alcohol in the country.

In addition to tobacco and alcohol, the Senegalese government also increased by 2.5% the tax on the prices of perfumes to 12.5% from 10%.