There is no doubt that smoking is damaging global health on an unprecedented scale. However, there is continuing debate on the economics of tobacco control, including the costs and consequences of tobacco control policies. This book aims to fill the analytic gap around this debate. This book brings together a set of critical reviews of the current status of knowledge on tobacco control. While the focus is on the needs of low-income and middle-income countries, the analyses are relevant globally. The book examines tobacco use and its consequences including new analyses of welfare issues in...

'The World Bank comprehensively dismisses the arguments of the tobacco industry that tobacco control measures impair freedom of choice.' - The Financial Times, May 18, 1999 Smoking already kills 1 in 10 adults worldwide. Until recently, the epidemic and chronic disease caused by smoking mainly affected rich nations but it is now rapidly shifting to the developing world. Few people will dispute that smoking is damaging health on a global scale. However, many governments have taken little economic action to control smoking (higher taxes, comprehensive bans on advertising, or restrictions on...