Dili, March 26, 2025 (Média Democracia) – The National Alliance for Tobacco Control Timor-Leste (ANCT-TL) recommends to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Trade and Industry to increase tobacco taxes in Timor-Leste to reduce tobacco use.
ANCT-TL Executive Director Sanchio Fernandez said that the relevant ministries need to hold a meeting to discuss tobacco prices in the country. Therefore, the implementers need to make regulations or oversight so that if there are shops selling cigarettes that do not comply with the law, they will be subject to sanctions under Article 26.
“I ask the relevant ministries to hold a meeting to decide on the minimum price of tobacco and we as civil society recommend that it be at least 5 USD, but that alone is not enough, so there needs to be a tobacco implementing agent who must frequently conduct inspections, conduct oversight, regulation and if a shop or supermarket is found not to comply with the rules, they can be subject to sanctions in accordance with Article 26 of the Law,” he said.
He also said that the price of tobacco is cheap, in fact teenagers aged 17 years are prohibited from selling cigarettes and buying tobacco, but until now the law has not been implemented properly.
“The reason is the cheap price of tobacco, teenagers aged 17 years should be prohibited from selling tobacco and buying tobacco, but until now this law has not been implemented properly, so we think it is very important to implement it so that they do not sell small change in stalls, and also they are not allowed to sell to minority teenagers and teenagers are also not allowed to sell tobacco.” He added.
He asked the government to disseminate this law in depth and clearly so that cigarette traders and the public can know the rules that prohibit it so that they can comply with it.
He asserted, based on demographic data in 2016, among all municipalities, the highest were Ermera, Oecusse, Ainaru and Dili which had the highest smoking rates compared to other municipalities. Of the four municipalities, almost 70% and above.
“This demographic shows that from the age of 15-49 years old they still smoke because it is very easy to access freely. We know that tobacco is sold everywhere, in the law it is stated that it is not allowed to sell small cigarettes but now they are still sold, so it is easy for teenagers to buy with 0.25 cents and 0.10 cents, so it is very easy to buy.” He continued
He explained that tobacco in Timor-Leste is cheap and in fact based on law number 14/2016 the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Health need to make inter-ministerial coordination to decide the minimum price of tobacco.
Reported by : Nélia
Picture by : Nélia