Background Worldwide, smoking tobacco causes 7 million deaths annually, and this toll is expected to increase, especially in low-income and middle-income countries. In Latin America, smoking is a leading risk factor for death and disability, contributes to poverty, and imposes an economic burden on health systems. Despite being one of the most effective measures to reduce smoking, tobacco taxation is underused and cigarettes are more affordable in Latin America than in other regions. Our aim was to estimate the tobacco-attributable burden on mortality, disease incidence, quality of life lost, and medical costs in 12 Latin American countries, and the expected health and economic effects of increasing tobacco taxes.Methods In this modelling study, we developed a Markov probabilistic microsimulation economic model of the natural history, medical costs, and quality-of-life losses associated with the most common tobacco-related diseases in 12 countries in Latin America. Data inputs were obtained through a literature review, vital statistics, and hospital databases from each country: Argentina,

Objetivo. Analizar el tabaquismo, su impacto en mortalidad por enfermedades crónicas y su política fiscal en México. Material y métodos. Se analizaron las encuestas nacionales de salud (ENSA, ENSANUT), registros de mortalidad y encuestas económicas para el periodo 2000-2012 y se estimaron prevalencia, mortalidad y consumo. Resultados. En 2012, 9.2% de los adolescentes y 19% de los adultos son fumadores activos. Entre 2000 y 2012 la prevalencia de tabaquismo permaneció estable. Sin embargo, la cantidad de cigarros promedio consumida se redujo, al tiempo que se han implementado incrementos al impuesto especial a los productos de tabaco. Las muertes atribuibles al consumo de tabaco por cuatro enfermedades se calculó en cerca de 60 000 para 2010. Conclusiones. El tabaquismo es la principal causa de muerte prevenible. El incremento sustancial de los impuestos a los productos de tabaco puede abatir la epidemia de tabaquismo y en consecuencia la mortalidad por enfermedades crónicas en México.

The results confirmed the effectiveness of taxes as an instrument for tobacco control in Mexico. An increase in taxes can be used to increase cigarette prices and therefore to reduce consumption and increase government revenue.

Background Nondaily smoking has been on the rise, especially in Mexico. While Mexico has strengthened its tobacco control policies, their effects on nondaily smokers have gone largely unexamined. We developed a simulation model to estimate the impact of tobacco control policies on daily and nondaily smoking in Mexico. Methods A previously validated Mexico SimSmoke model that estimated overall trends in smoking prevalence from 2002 through 2013 was extended to 2018 and adapted to distinguish daily and nondaily smoking prevalence. The model was then validated using data from Mexican surveys through 2016. To gauge the potential effects of policies, we compared the trends in smoking under current policies with trends from policies kept at their 2002 levels. Results Between 2002 and 2016, Mexico SimSmoke underestimated the reduction in male and female daily smoking rates. For nondaily smoking, SimSmoke predicted a decline among both males and females, while survey rates showed increasing rates in both genders, primarily among ages 15–44. Of the total reduction in smoking rates predicted by the model by 2018, tax policies account for more than 55%, followed by health warnings, cessation treatment, smoke-free air laws, and tobacco control spending. Conclusions Although Mexico SimSmoke did not successfully explain trends in daily and nondaily smoking, it helps to identify gaps in surveillance and policy evaluation for nondaily smokers. Future research should consider appropriate measures of nondaily smoking prevalence, trajectories between daily and nondaily smoking, and the separate impact of tobacco control policies on each group.

Objetivo. Analizar el consumo de alcohol, su relación con accidentes de tránsito y su impacto en enfermedades crónicas. Material y métodos. Usando encuestas nacionales de salud, registros de colisiones, lesionados y muertes, así como encuestas económicas, se estimaron indicadores de prevalencia, mortalidad y consumo. Resultados. Entre 2000 y 2012, la prevalencia de consumo de alcohol en adolescentes se mantuvo estable con un incremento importante en adultos. La tasa de colisiones de tránsito con presencia de alcohol fue de 0.36 y 0.58 en adolescentes y adultos, respectivamente. De la población con lesiones de tránsito, 8.4% estaba bajo efectos del alcohol al momento de lesionarse. La mortalidad por dos enfermedades atribuibles al alcohol se ha mantenido en alrededor de 18 000 fallecimientos anuales. Conclusiones. El abuso en el consumo alcohol implica graves daños a la salud. El incremento de impuestos al alcohol, junto con otras medidas, reduciría el consumo nocivo y la mortalidad asociada.