Tobacco.org

• Taiwan Legislature fails to raise tobacco tax  

The Legislative Yuan Monday failed to pass any hikes in tobacco taxes, despite a wide range of proposals.

Lawmakers filed varying proposals to raise the current NT$10 tax per packet of 20 cigarettes to NT$15, NT$20 or NT$40 to discourage smoking, but because they failed to reach a consensus, the topic of higher cigarette taxes was referred to further negotiation.

Ruling Kuomintang legislator Chang Shuo-wen proposed a hike to NT$40 while rejecting allegations he was trying to sabotage any rises. He said smaller increases would not work if the aim was to discourage smoking altogether.

Some lawmakers pointed out a contradiction in the government’s plans for the hike. “The country sells tobacco, but also bans tobacco,” said KMT legislator Lee Hung-chun, calling on the government to sell the Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation.

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