Sri Lanka, Nov. 2 -- Sri Lanka has the most expensive cigarettes in the world when measured against purchasing power parity (PPP), according to the latest World Health Organisation (WHO) data cited in a new Oxford Economics assessment that questions the effectiveness of the WHO's global tobacco tax incidence benchmark.

The assessment argues that national economic realities, rather than a uniform global target, should guide tobacco taxation policies, highlighting significant differences in economic conditions across countries.

It questions the effectiveness of the WHO's 75% tobacco tax incidence benchmark, stating that achieving a specific tax incidence rate does not necessarily translate into lower smoking prevalence.

According to the...