[What does the Brazilian National Health Survey have to say about the influence of cigarette spending on household income?]

In a country whose indicators of population impoverishment continue to increase, it is concerning that individuals spend money to buy cigarettes instead of using this resource in actions that strengthen aspects of the well-being of their lives and that of their families. Based on the Brazilian National Health Survey conducted in 2019, the influence of spending on manufactured cigarettes on the family budget in households with at least one smoker was estimated, stratified by sociodemographic characteristics. Brazilian smokers allocated around 8% of their average per capita monthly household income to the purchase of manufactured cigarettes. The percentage of average monthly expenditure on cigarettes reached almost 10% of this income among smokers aged 15 to 24 and was even higher for those with incomplete elementary education (approximately 11%). In the North and Northeast regions of the country, this expenditure exceeded 9%. The state with the most significant impact on household income was Acre (13.6%), followed by Alagoas (11.9%), Ceará, Pará, and Tocantins (all with approximately 11%). Our findings, therefore, reinforce the importance of strengthening the implementation of effective measures, such as tax policy, to reduce the proportion of smokers. Thus, the money that individuals currently allocate to purchase cigarettes can be used to meet their basic needs, contributing to the promotion of health and improving the quality of life.