WHO Launched 3 by 35 Initiative targets Tobacco, Alcohol and Sugary Drinks

The WHO’s 3 by 35 Initiative urges governments to increase taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks by at least 50% by 2035, aiming to curb chronic diseases and generate up to US $1 trillion in public revenue to support global health systems.

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Context: The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced its “3 by 35” health‑tax campaign, urging countries to increase taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks by at least 50% by 2035.

WHO’s ‘3 by 35 Initiative’

Objective: WHO urges countries to increase real prices of tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks by at least 50% by 2035 through health taxes.
Purpose:
- Combat rising non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
- Raise public revenue for health and development.
- Reduce reliance on external aid and improve fiscal independence.
Urgency:
- Health systems face increasing pressure from the growing NCD burden, reduced development aid, and public debt.
- NCDs now cause over 75% of global deaths.
Key Drivers of NCDs:
- High consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks.
Impact of the Policy:
- A one-time 50% price hike could prevent 50 million premature deaths over the next 50 years.
- Tobacco alone causes more than 7 million deaths annually.

Key Action Areas of the Initiative

Increase excise taxes to raise prices and make harmful products less affordable.
Mobilize domestic funds to support universal health coverage and development programs.
Foster coordination among finance and health ministries, lawmakers, civil society, and academia.

Global Trends and Economic Potential

140 countries have already increased tobacco taxes (2012–2022), showing real feasibility.
Health taxes have reduced consumption and boosted revenue in countries like Colombia and South Africa.
A global 50% price hike could raise up to $3.7 trillion in 5 years (approx. $740 billion/year, or 75% of global GDP).
WHO targets $1 trillion in revenue over the next 10 years through the initiative.

Policy Challenges

Many countries still offer tax breaks to unhealthy industries like tobacco.
Long-term investment deals often limit governments from raising tobacco taxes.
WHO urges countries to eliminate such exemptions for better public health outcomes.

Vision: ‘3 by 35’ promotes healthier populations, economic resilience, and reduced dependency on aid, aligning fiscal and public health goals for the future.