Cyprus’ House Plenum on Friday passed a bill imposing a tax on e-liquids and heat-not-burn sticks, according to a story in The Cyprus Mail.
The law introduces a new category called ‘liquid for electronic cigarette use’ that carries a consumption tax of €0.12 per ml of liquid.
Additionally, the bill provides for heat-not-burn products, which are expected soon to be imported to Cyprus, to carry a consumption tax of €150 per kg.
The bill was tabled by the ruling Disy party [the Democratic Rally] and passed by 26 votes to 17.
Akel MP Aristos Damianou criticized the government for introducing more taxes, saying that it was only on Monday [September 18] that the finance minister had said no new taxes would be imposed, and yet a bill to do just that was before parliament.
Damianou said that though there had been a steady increase in the consumption of cigars, there had been no increase in their consumption tax.
Rather, taxes were being imposed on electronic cigarettes that, despite their containing products that were bad for people’s health, could potentially help people quit smoking.
The Green MP Giorgos Perdikis said that the revenue from the new taxes should be put towards a special fund to campaign against smoking.