Calls for 100% tax hike on tobacco products

The call coincides with World Stroke Week (28 October - 3 November), which aims to raise awareness of the symptoms of stroke.

Anti-tobacco groups are calling for a 100% increase in tobacco tax ahead of Wednesday's mid-term budget speech.

According to a recent Research Unit on Economics of Excisable Products (Reep) study, the harmful effects of tobacco cost the country R42 billion in healthcare costs in the previous tax year.

That's compared against the R12.5 billion in tobacco tax collected by government during the same period.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation is one of the group calling for the tax increase.

CEO Professor Pamela Naidoo spoke to CapeTalk's Zain Johnson on Tuesday.

From a public health point of view, if you know there's a product that's going cause harm...you have to have a strategy in place to approach what we call a 'harm reduction' approach.

Professor Pamela  Naidoo, CEO - Heart and Stroke Foundation

And we do believe, as lobbyists, that taxation is one strategy to deal with the use of tobacco.

Professor Pamela  Naidoo, CEO - Heart and Stroke Foundation

RELATED: New study reveals the true cost of smoking...you'll be shocked by the findings

The call for the tobacco take hike coincides with World Stroke Week (28 October - 3 November), aiming to raise awareness of the symptoms and causes of stroke.

Tobacco smoking is one of the key drivers of having a stroke.

Professor Pamela  Naidoo, CEO - Heart and Stroke Foundation

If you smoke, it doubles your risk of having a smoke.

Professor Pamela  Naidoo, CEO - Heart and Stroke Foundation

Click below for the full interview:

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