WHO Urges Higher Taxes on Sugary Drinks and Alcohol

The World Health Organization (WHO) released two global reports on January 13, 2026, warning that consistently low tax rates on sugary drinks and alcoholic beverages are making them cheaper, thereby fueling obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancers, and injuries, especially among children and young adults. The World Health Organization urged governments to significantly strengthen taxes on these products to reduce harmful consumption and generate funds for vital health services. World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted health taxes as a powerful tool for promoting health. The World Health Organization also launched its '3 by 35' initiative, aiming to increase the real prices of tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks by 2035 to protect public health. The reports noted that while many countries tax sugary drinks and alcohol, many high-sugar products like 100% fruit juices and sweetened milk drinks often escape taxation, and alcohol prices have remained stable or become cheaper due to taxes not keeping pace with inflation. Countries like Bangladesh, Barbados, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Nigeria, and Togo were praised for closing policy loopholes in their sugar-sweetened beverage taxation.