Estimated Years of Life Gained from Sin Taxes over 50 Years

Researchers at CDDEP, working with the Task Force on Fiscal Policy for Health co- chaired by Michael Bloomberg and Larry Summers, estimated the number of deaths averted and years of life gained from a tax increase on tobacco, alcohol, and sugar sweetened beverages.

Globally, a 20 percent retail price increase from the taxes would produce a gain of 212.0, 238.9, and 23.6 million life years over a 50-year span if levied on tobacco, alcoholic beverages, and SSBs, respectively.