TobaccoReporter logo

Tag: cigarette tax

  • Malaysian Tobacco Control Groups Pushing for 5% Tax Increases

    Malaysian Tobacco Control Groups Pushing for 5% Tax Increases

    Tobacco control organizations in Malaysia are calling for annual 5% increases in tobacco taxes following survey findings showing broad public support for higher excise rates. Research conducted by the Social and Economic Research Initiative (Seri) found that 80% of 3,200 respondents supported yearly tax hikes, while 72% believed higher tobacco taxes could help ease broader cost-of-living pressures.

    Groups backing the proposal include the Malaysian Anti-Drug Association, Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control, and the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia. Seri senior researcher Muhammad Daniel Kittu said tobacco excise duties have remained largely unchanged since 2015 despite rising prices for staple goods, arguing that higher cigarette prices could reduce smoking rates while redirecting household spending toward essentials such as food, healthcare, and education.

    Responding to concerns that higher taxes could fuel illegal sales, Kittu said weak enforcement — rather than pricing — remains the primary driver of illicit tobacco activity.

  • Delaware Advances Bill to Raise Nicotine Taxes; Cigs by 71%

    Delaware Advances Bill to Raise Nicotine Taxes; Cigs by 71%

    Delaware lawmakers advanced legislation to significantly increase tobacco taxes and update licensing requirements, with House Bill 215 proposing to raise the cigarette tax from $2.10 to $3.60 per pack while also increasing taxes on vapor products, moist snuff, and other nicotine items. The measure would expand the definition of tobacco to include all nicotine-containing products, raise licensing fees across the supply chain, and is projected to generate up to $26.7 million annually, with implementation beginning in late 2026.

  • Advocates Call to Merge Bangladesh’s Multi-Tier Cig Structure

    Advocates Call to Merge Bangladesh’s Multi-Tier Cig Structure

    At a workshop hosted by the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh today (April 9), journalists and public health advocates called for setting the minimum retail price of a 10-stick cigarette pack at Tk100 ($0.82) in the FY2026–27 budget by merging the low and medium tax tiers and introducing a uniform Tk4 (3 cents) specific tax per pack.

    A keynote by Dr. Shafiun Nahin Shimul of the University of Dhaka said Bangladesh’s 35.3% tobacco use prevalence leads to nearly 200,000 premature deaths annually and an economic cost of Tk870 billion ($7.1 billion), more than double sector revenue. Speakers, including representatives from the National Tobacco Control Cell and health researchers, argued the current multi-tier tax structure enables down-trading to cheaper brands and said higher prices could reduce youth initiation, encourage cessation, and raise government revenue.

  • Jamaica Ups Cigarette Tax 2 Cents per Stick

    Jamaica Ups Cigarette Tax 2 Cents per Stick

    Jamaica will increase the Special Consumption Tax (SCT) on cigarettes from J$17 to J$20 ($0.11 to $0.13) per stick effective May 1, a move expected to generate approximately $1.1 billion ($7 million) in additional revenue. The measure aligns with Jamaica’s commitments under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and comes as lawmakers continue deliberations on broader tobacco control legislation, including regulations on advertising and electronic nicotine delivery systems.

  • 90% of Omanis Favor Tobacco Tax Hike

    90% of Omanis Favor Tobacco Tax Hike

    Oman’s Ministry of Health said that nearly 90% of its citizens support increasing taxes on tobacco products and banning smoking in open public spaces, according to findings from the 2025 National Survey on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs). Minister of Interior Sayyid Dr. Sultan Yaarub Al Busaidi said the survey showed that one in six adult males currently uses tobacco, with manufactured cigarettes, pipes and shisha being the most common forms, while about 2% use e-cigarettes or smokeless tobacco. Conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization, the nationwide study of more than 10,000 people is expected to “guide evidence-based health policies aligned with Oman Vision 2040 and global targets to reduce premature deaths from noncommunicable diseases.”

  • EU Suspects ‘Coordinated’ Interference in Tobacco Tax Feedback

    EU Suspects ‘Coordinated’ Interference in Tobacco Tax Feedback

    The European Commission suspects that a surge of pro-industry submissions opposing its proposed overhaul of the EU Tobacco Tax Directive was likely coordinated and intended to distort public consultation feedback, according to comments from Commission tax official David Boublil as reported by Politico. Thousands of largely anonymous responses promoting tobacco industry arguments, along with what are believed to be fake submissions attributed to public health experts, were filed in the final hours of the consultation period.

    While the Commission did not identify who was behind the activity, Boublil described industry lobbying on the issue as “gigantic.” The proposal would raise the EU-wide minimum excise duty on cigarettes from €90 to €215 per 1,000 cigarettes, a move opposed by several member states. The scrutiny comes amid broader upcoming EU reviews of tobacco taxation and regulation, including plans to extend tobacco control rules to e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches from 2026.

  • Turkmenistan Ramps Up Tobacco Ban Ahead of 2025 Deadline

    Turkmenistan Ramps Up Tobacco Ban Ahead of 2025 Deadline

    Turkmenistan is pushing to go tobacco-free by the end of 2025, forcing its few smokers underground with bans, high taxes, and fines of up to 200 manats ($57). Cigarettes now cost $14–$49 a pack — up to 11% of the average monthly salary — with many buying single sticks from kiosks supplied by neighboring countries.

    According to the WHO, only 4% of the Central Asian nation’s residents smoke.

    While authorities stage cigarette burnings and televised pledges to quit, residents say tobacco won’t vanish but will move to the black market.