he 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by countries at the United Nations in 2015 sets forth a comprehensive vision of development with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets across all aspects of society [1]. The 2030 Agenda document is ambitious and explicit about the need for integrated and sustained action across society to address complex challenges such as ending extreme poverty, reducing widening economic inequality, tackling climate change, and reducing and preventing conflict.

Taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) meant to improve health and raise revenue are being adopted, yet evaluation is scarce. This study examines the association of the first penny per ounce SSB excise tax in the United States, in Berkeley, California, with beverage prices, sales, store revenue/consumer spending, and usual beverage intake.

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India cannot, and must not, wait any longer to recognise the right to healthcare. (Editorial)

Among Canadian youth, 18% have tried cigarettes, with the range increasing from 3% among children in grade 6 to 36% among youth in grade 12. A person who starts smoking as a child or youth is less likely to quit later in life than someone who starts later. Factors such as age, sex, the influence of friends and family, and the broader social environment of school and community are linked to a youth’s decision to start smoking. Almost 90% of adult smokers first smoked tobacco by age 18.

Canada’s universal health care system does not include universal coverage of prescription drugs. We sought to estimate the effects of adding universal public coverage of an essential medicines list to existing public drug plans in Canada.

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