Italy preparing to impose tax on health

The price of electronic cigarettes in Italy could be set to rise sharply as the Italian government considers imposing a tax on these devices, according to a story in The Local quoting a La Stampa report.

A draft bill has been submitted to the Council of Ministers, which, if approved, would see the price of electronic cigarette kits increase to €52-133 from €33-84.

Such increases are likely to have a negative impact on a sector that has created 2,000 specialist shops and 5,000 jobs during the past few years.

Massimiliano Mancini, the president of the National Association of Electronic Smoking (Anafe), reportedly told Il Sole 24 Ore that the move was “nonsense” and would lead to the closure of at least 60-70 percent of the shops and the loss of 3,000 jobs.

A growing number of people have been using electronic cigarettes, generally believed to pose far less risk than traditional cigarettes, to wean themselves from smoking.