Fyzabad MP says government can use tobacco tax collection to fund cardiac lab

MP for Fyzabad, Dr Lackram Bodoe, has offered the suggestion that taxes collected from tobacco go towards the start of a cardiac laboratory.

Speaking in the House on Monday, Dr Bodoe said the money incurred from the increased tobacco taxes could go towards a cardiac catheterisarisation laboratory in San Fernando and the installation of a Linear Accelerator — a machine that uses radioactive particles and beams to treat cancer patients.

Bodoe admitted that government had already taken several holistic, non-tax, approaches to reduce the demand for tobacco, like no indoor smoking, bans on cigarette advertising and a ban on sponsorship for sporting and cultural events by cigarette companies.

But, urged Government to aim to achieve the WHO’s goal to reduce the prevalence of smoking down to 50 per cent by 2025 and called on the ministry to review and revamp its Tobacco Control Unit.