Jasmine R. F. Pwu
Director of Division of HTA,
CDE, Taiwan

Feature Events of Tobacco Control in Taiwan
Date Event
1987 Three-Year No-smoking Campaign
1990 DOH implemented the "Five-Year Tobacco Control Plan for the Taiwan
Region"
1997. 03. 19 Issuance of a Presidential Decree ratifying the Tobacco Hazards
Prevention Act and its implementation on September 19 of the same year
2002 Collection of tobacco health and welfare surcharge ( NT$ 5 should be levied on every pack of cigarettes)
2005. 03. 30 Issuance of a Presidential Decree approving country’s participation in the WHO FCTC and signing of the membership commitment document
2006
2009
Tobacco and Alcohol Tax Act was amended to raise the tobacco health and welfare surcharge to NT$ 10 per pack
Amendment of Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act, expansion of the area of no-smoking places
2009 Welfare surcharge on tobacco products from NT$ 10 per pack of cigarettes to NT$ 20

• Reduction of Demand
– Welfare tax on tobacco products
– Prohibition of smoking
– Warning Labels
– Smoking Cessation Assistance
– Education & Publicizing Campaign
• Reduction of Supply
– Prohibition of underage tobacco sales and selling
– Curbing illicit trade in tobacco products

• The Health and Welfare Surcharge shall be imposed on tobacco products, the amount of which shall be as follows:
(1) Cigarettes: NTD 1,000 every one thousand sticks.
(2) Cut tobacco: NTD 1,000 every kilogram.
(3) Cigars: NTD 1,000 every kilogram.
(4) Other tobacco products: NTD 1,000 every kilogram.
1 USD ≒ 30 NTD

Q2. The evidence of policymakers rely on instead of HTA

• Research & Monitoring
– Adult Smoking Behavior Survey
– Global Youth Tobacco Survey
– Tobacco Information Monitoring
– Tobacco Consumption Monitoring
• Tobacco Ingredients Control and Regulations
– Developments in Testing and Research of Tobacco
Product
• Evaluation on Welfare Tax

70,0
60,0
59,4
50,0
40,0
32,5
30,0
20,0
How Tax on Tobacco affect smoking rate?
55,3
29,5
54,8
29,1
55,1
29,2
Tobacco Hazards
Prevention Act came into force in Sept.
1997
47,3
26,3
A tobacco surcharge
(NT$5 per pack) was levied from Jan. 2002
48,2
42,9
40,0
Tobacco surcharge was adjusted to
NT$10 in Feb.
2006
Tobacco surcharge was raised to NT$20 ,
Jan. 2009 pursuant to the new Tobacco
Hazards Prevention Act amended in Jun. 2009
39,6
39,0
38,6
35,4
35,0
33,5
32,7
27,0 24,1
22,7
22,1
22,3
21,9
20,0
19,8
19,1 18,7
10,0
3,8
0,0
3,2 3,3 3,3
5,2 5,3
4,6 4,8 4,1 5,1 4,8 4,2 4,1 4,4 4,3
90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
Men year
Overall Women
• Resource: http://tobacco.hpa.gov.tw/Show.aspx?MenuId=412

Any question are welcome!