Explore the economic burden of tobacco use and discover how efficient and effective taxation can improve public health by reducing tobacco consumption, boost fiscal revenues, and support sustainable development, by joining this online Tobacco Taxation 101 course. The course aims to strengthen technical expertise among government officials, researchers, and civil society advocates involved in designing, implementing, and evaluating tobacco tax policies. 

The 5-week course is convened by REEP in collaboration with Tax Justice Network Africa (TJNA), and co-sponsored by Cancer Research UK.

REEP recently concluded the second edition of its flagship Tobacco Taxation 101 online course. If you have any queries about the next course, please reach out to us at: tobaccotaxation101@gmail.com. 

For more information about the course, the application process, costs, and details of the scholarships available, please consult the Tobacco Taxation 101 - 2025 Brochure

TT101 brochure cover 2025

Tobacco Taxation 101 2025

REEP recently concluded the second edition of its flagship Tobacco Taxation 101 online course, that started in February 2025. This year’s course attracted 25 participants from around the world, with strong representation from African countries. Participants came from Zambia, Nigeria, Kenya, Pakistan, Cameroon, Mongolia, Uganda, Indonesia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their engagement contributed to rich discussions on current challenges and opportunities in tobacco taxation.

A key feature was a series of webinars, delivered by guest speakers who shared their insights from both global and regional perspectives. These included experts from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Economics for Health (formerly Tobacconomics) at Johns Hopkins University, the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), and the REEP team. These presentations covered a diverse range of topics. Participants explored global evidence on the health and fiscal impacts of tobacco taxation, examined case studies on tax modeling to support recent reforms, and considered the taxing of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and heated tobacco products (HTPs). In addition, there were discussions on the persistent challenge of the illicit tobacco trade and the importance of coordinated, whole-of-government strategies and cross-border collaboration to combat it.

As global demand for tobacco tax policy expertise continues to grow, Tobacco Taxation 101 remains a flagship platform for fostering knowledge exchange, promoting evidence-based policymaking, and strengthening international cooperation in the fight against tobacco-related harm. REEP would like to express sincere thanks to its partners, Tax Justice Network Africa and Cancer Research UK, whose ongoing support has made it possible to continue offering this important course and building capacity worldwide.

If you are interested in learning more about the course, please contact Zunda at: zunda.chisha@uct.ac.za.

Tobacco Taxation 101 2024

Following the inaugural session in May 2024, REEP has conducted a comprehensive review to further enhance the learning experience.

Course Success and Participant Feedback

32 participants from 29 countries have completed the course and will be receiving their certificates in the coming days. The participants came from government departments, civil society, and academia. The mean grade of the participants who completed the course was 79%. The course received positive feedback, particularly regarding the clarity and accessibility of complex concepts.

Enhancements for the Upcoming Session

Based on participant feedback, REEP plans to implement several key improvements:

  1. Enhanced Interaction: Increased opportunities for peer-to-peer learning and general discussions, mainly through an online chatroom.
  2. Capstone Project: participants will be expected to submit a project that synthesizes concepts learned throughout the five-week course.
  3. Refined Assessments: Revision of quiz questions to improve clarity while maintaining academic rigor.

View the 2024 Brochure or click here for more info.

Background

In early 2023 we decided to develop an online course in tobacco taxation, called Tobacco Taxation 101. With the help of Learning Sandbox, an organisation that specialises in online learning, we developed a five-week course, with four modules. It took about nine months to develop the course. These modules were:

  1. Tobacco taxation in context
  2. Economics: the essentials
  3. Structuring and modelling excise taxes
  4. Illicit trade and other roadblocks

The Tobacco Taxation 101 course was launched in May 2024. Forty-nine delegates registered for the course; 37 started the course and 32 completed it and received certificates of completion.

The modules consist of a variety of ‘assets’, including videos, text-only documents, ‘scrollables’, summary posters, and animations. Each week students are required to work through the content of a particular module and fill out a quiz. Each Friday afternoon, we have a 90-minute Zoom session, where a REEP member or an outside expert makes a presentation, followed by a question-and-answer session.

We intend to run the Tobacco Taxation 101 course once or twice a year, depending on the demand. We are currently implementing some updates to the course, based on feedback from students that have completed the Tobacco Taxation 101 course and independent feedback from two UCT students. The next round of the course will be run in February and March 2025. We will thoroughly review the course after the second or third round and make appropriate changes.