Tobacco is harmful to health: studies have proven that worldwide, its smoke kills millions of people every year and is responsible for a third of all cases of cancer, 21 chronic diseases, psychological health problems, reducing life expectancy by 10 years and overall diminishing quality of life. Tobacco control is not only a public health issue, but directing taxes from its use towards the financing of health programs will mobilise funds that can be used towards developing countries’ health and social development.Tobacco control is not only a public health issue, but diverting taxes from its use to finance health programs will mobilise funds that can be used to improve the country’s health systems, in terms of quality of service and health coverage.
Based on this observation, a coalition composed of the Senegalese League against Tobacco – Listab (LISTAB), the Consortium for Social Science Research (CRES), the Pan-African Institute for Citizenship, Consumers and Development (CICODEV), of the National Tuberculosis Control Programme (PNLT) and the Framework Convention Alliance (FCA), is working not only to increase the resources allocated to tobacco control but also, and above all, to use the fiscal resources from tobacco sales to finance health programs in Senegal.