Exposure of pregnant women and babies to smoking and second-hand smoke is known to increase the risks of neonatal and infant mortality. Raising taxation on tobacco has been shown to be the most effective measure of reducing tobacco use and associated health risks, especially among low-income populations. A tobacco tax rate of 75% or greater is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
In the new study, the researchers used data spanning 2008 through 2018 from 159 countries on neonatal and infant mortality, tobacco taxation, and other related variables including gross domestic product, fertility rate, education and access to drinking water.
On average across all countries studied, the neonatal mortality rate was 14.4 and the infant mortality rate was 24.9 per 1,000 live births. Worldwide between 2008-2018, the average neonatal and infant mortality rates were 14.4 and 24.9 deaths per 1,000 live births, respectively. These rates were higher in LMICs than HICs
— source sciencedaily.com | Mar 16, 2022