Core Viewpoint - The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched the "3 by 35" initiative, urging countries to implement health taxes to increase the actual prices of tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks by at least 50% by 2035, aiming to curb chronic diseases and generate significant public revenue [1][3][4]. Group 1: Health Tax Initiative - The "3 by 35" initiative is designed to alleviate pressure on health systems caused by the rise of non-communicable diseases, reduced development aid, and increasing public debt [1][3]. - WHO emphasizes that raising the prices of tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks can significantly reduce consumption and prevent millions of premature deaths, with a potential to avoid 50 million premature deaths over the next 50 years if prices are raised by 50% [1][4]. Group 2: Global Context and Funding Crisis - The initiative comes at a time of global public health funding crisis, particularly as donations from countries like the United States have decreased, making it urgent for low- and middle-income countries to find domestic funding sources for health needs [3][4]. - WHO aims to revitalize health taxes as a tool to reduce harmful consumption, save lives, and create important public revenue, with projections indicating that a one-time tax increase could generate up to $3.7 trillion globally over five years [4][5]. Group 3: China's Health Tax Considerations - China has already implemented consumption taxes on tobacco and alcohol, while discussions on sugary drink taxes are still in the academic phase [5][7]. - The current period in China is seen as an opportunity for consumption tax reform, with expectations to enhance the health guidance effect of these taxes [7][8]. - Experts caution that simply increasing taxes without comprehensive policies may not effectively suppress unhealthy product consumption, as seen in past experiences with tobacco tax adjustments in China [5][9].

Core Viewpoint - The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched the "3by35" initiative, aiming to increase the actual prices of tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks by at least 50% by 2035 through health taxes, which will help curb chronic diseases and generate significant public revenue [1][2]. Group 1 - The "3by35" initiative is expected to raise $1 trillion by 2035, based on evidence from countries like Colombia and South Africa [1][2]. - WHO emphasizes that health taxes are one of the most effective tools to reduce harmful product consumption and generate revenue for reinvestment in healthcare, education, and social security [1]. - WHO's Director-General highlighted the need for governments to adapt to new realities and strengthen their health systems using the funds raised from these taxes [2]. Group 2 - The initiative is the first to propose a specific price increase target for tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks, despite WHO's long-standing support for tobacco taxes and recent calls for taxing alcohol and sugary beverages [2]. - WHO encourages governments to review and avoid tax exemptions for unhealthy industries, which could undermine national health goals [2]. - The initiative has received support from organizations such as Bloomberg Philanthropies, the World Bank, and the OECD, which will assist countries willing to take action [4].

Core Viewpoint - The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched an initiative calling for countries to significantly increase taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks to boost public revenue and reduce chronic diseases [1] Group 1: Initiative Details - The initiative is named "Three Three Five," which aims to implement three health taxes by 2035 [1] - The goal is to raise the actual prices of at least one, two, or all three categories of unhealthy products by at least 50% by 2035 [1] - Specific measures will be tailored to the different national contexts of each country [1] Group 2: Expected Outcomes - The WHO estimates that this initiative could generate an additional $1 trillion in public revenue globally over the next decade while reducing the consumption of unhealthy products [1]

Market Insights - The US ADP employment numbers unexpectedly decreased by 33,000 in June, marking the first negative growth since March 2023, with a prior expectation of an increase of 98,000. The revised May data showed an increase of only 29,000 [1][2] - A group of billionaires from Silicon Valley has applied for a charter bank license in the US, aiming to establish a national bank focused on supporting startups in the cryptocurrency sector [1] - The UN reported that 2023 has seen some of the most extensive and destructive droughts on record, highlighting severe challenges posed by climate change and resource pressures [1] Economic Indicators - Australia's retail sales increased by 0.2% month-on-month in May, recovering from zero growth in the previous month but falling short of the market expectation of 0.5% [3] - South Korea's Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 2.2% year-on-year in June, surpassing the market expectation of 2.1% and marking a return to above 2% inflation after two months [4] Commodity Prices - COMEX gold futures rose by 0.56% to $3,368.7 per ounce, while COMEX silver futures increased by 1.08% to $36.79 per ounce [6] - Light crude oil futures for August delivery increased by $2.00 to $67.45 per barrel, a rise of 3.06%, while Brent crude oil futures for September delivery also rose by $2.00 to $69.11 per barrel, up 2.98% [6] Currency Exchange Rates - The US dollar index fell by 0.05% to 96.777, with the euro trading at 1.1800 against the dollar, up from 1.1781, and the British pound at 1.3636, down from 1.3738 [7] - The onshore Chinese yuan closed at 7.1670 against the dollar, down 52 basis points from the previous trading day [7]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the health taxes landscape in India. Core Insights - The consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in India leads to significant public health challenges, with 1.6 million deaths and 49.3 million disability-adjusted life years lost annually. These products are major risk factors for noncommunicable diseases, responsible for 64.9 percent of all deaths in India as of 2019 [13] - Health taxes have been effective globally in reducing consumption and generating revenue while addressing market failures from negative externalities and internalities. India's current indirect tax system poses challenges due to its complexity and inconsistencies [13] - Reforming health taxes requires addressing inconsistencies, improving tax compliance, and introducing new tax structures based on the relative harm of each product [13] Summary by Sections Introduction - The report highlights the significant health and economic burdens associated with the consumption of demerit products in India, emphasizing the need for effective health taxes to mitigate these issues [22][27] Why Health Taxes Matter - Health taxes are justified due to significant market failures associated with demerit products, which lead to detrimental consumption patterns and economic burdens on society [28] - Taxation can correct negative externalities and internalities, enhancing welfare by reducing consumption to socially efficient levels [29][30] Consumption of Unhealthy Products in India - India is the second-largest consumer of tobacco globally, with approximately 267 million tobacco users, accounting for about 19 percent of the world's adult tobacco users [45] - The prevalence of alcohol consumption among adults in India was estimated at 17.1 percent in 2019, with significant gender differences [59] Economic Burden Associated with Unhealthy Products - The economic burden from tobacco-related costs is estimated at US$36.2 billion annually, while alcohol-related costs are around US$31.4 billion [13] Health Taxes in India - The current indirect tax system in India includes a national-level Goods and Services Tax (GST) on tobacco and SSBs, as well as state-level excise duties and VAT on alcohol, which presents challenges due to complexity and inconsistencies [13] - The report suggests increasing specific excise taxes, simplifying the tax structure, and conducting detailed state-level analyses of alcohol taxation [13] Challenges and Opportunities - The report identifies challenges in reforming health taxes in India, including knowledge gaps and the need for policy engagement priorities [6][27]