The step would be part of a comprehensive cancer control programme for 2020-2030, Sławomir Gadomski said on Thursday.
The National Cancer Plan is based on regulations adopted in the spring and is expected to set the trajectory for the development of the country’s oncological care system, including prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment.
Gadomski said: "The sugar tax is an integral part of the strategy. We would like to implement it by the end of 2022.”
He added that, apart from limiting bad eating habits, the tax would force producers to use less sugar in goods.
Gadomski said the oncological plan placed an emphasis on prevention in the fight against cancer, such as promoting healthy habits and encouraging more people to undergo screening tests.
Spending under the programme is expected to come to PLN 5 billion (EUR 1.2 bn, USD 1.3 bn) over the 10-year period, according to Gadomski.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Poland, state news agency PAP reported.
About 160,000 cases of cancer are diagnosed annually, with some 100,000 cancer-related deaths reported every year.
The high and growing number of cancer deaths is mainly due to late detection, according to experts.
The number of cancer cases is rising every year. It is estimated that in the next 15 to 20 years it will double, PAP reported.
(aba/gs)
Source: PAP