Tobacco Duty ‘Should Be Higher’
The Press Association – 13/3/2008
Anti-smoking campaigners have said they were disappointed that tobacco duty rises announced in the Budget were not higher but added that they backed the planned crackdown on tobacco smuggling.
Chancellor Alistair Darling said that from 6pm on Wednesday the duty on tobacco will rise, adding 11p to the price of a packet of 20 cigarettes and 4p to the price of five cigars.
He said the Government was continuing the 5% reduced rate of VAT on smoking cessation products beyond June 30.
Budget documents also revealed a new crackdown on smugglers of cheap illicit tobacco with the UK Border Agency set to develop a comprehensive strategy to reduce tobacco smuggling.
The group Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) said it welcomed the announcements on smuggling and VAT on smoking cessation products.
Deborah Arnott, Ash director, said: “Substantially reducing tobacco smuggling must be a key plank of any policy to tackle health inequalities as research shows that low income smokers are much more likely to buy smuggled tobacco.
“This announcement is encouraging and we hope that the new strategy will be implemented as quickly as possible.”
But she added that Ash was critical of the Government for not “substantially” raising tobacco tax above the inflation rate.
The No Smoking Day charity said smokers with a 20-a-day habit would be paying more than £2,077 a year for their habit after the tax rise announced by the Chancellor.