The issue of commercial speech, however, is different from the more general issue of political and religious, and other free speech that command protection as fundamental civil rights. In many countries, legal products such as medicines, motor cars, and guns have socially acceptable restrictions placed on their advertisements, sale, distribution, and use. Legal status is therefore, not the main criteria in policy formulation. The price of cigarettes should be increased, so children can less easily afford them. Experience in countries as varied as the United States of America, and Papua New Guinea have shown that the price of tobacco, is the single largest factor determining short term patterns of use.
Children are much more responsive to price changes than adults.
On the hand when the price of cigarettes goes down, consumption goes up. May I have the first slide please. An additional benefit of tobacco taxes, is that it raises government revenues, some of which can be ear marked for health promotion. Tobacco taxes in have been used in Australia to replace tobacco industry's sponsorship of sports, art and culture. In Peru, to build cancer centers, and in Equador, to finance the National Program for Free Children's Medicine.