UCT Tobacco Taxation E-Library a World First

A comprehensive new e-library focusing on tobacco taxation and illicit trade has been launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Knowledge Hub at the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Research Unit on the Economics of Excisable Products (REEP). A project two-and-a-half-years in the making, it is set to be a valuable resource for students, researchers and policymakers across the globe.

Covering a range of different dissemination modes — from journal articles and presentations, to data sets and grey literature — the purpose of the e-library is to consolidate and classify all available literature on tobacco taxation and illicit trade in tobacco products. Currently, the library includes links to more than 1,700 entries and will continue to be updated on a regular basis.

While other e-libraries focusing on the economics of tobacco do exist, the WHO FCTC Knowledge Hub at REEP’s e-library is the first of its kind focusing specifically on the aspects of taxation and illicit trade, says Professor Corne Van Walbeek, Director of REEP.