Tobacco.org

• ICS seeks €1 hike for cigarettes 

The Irish Cancer Society is urging the Government to increase the tax on cigarettes by €1 in the forthcoming budget in order to fund the fight against tobacco smuggling.

The organisation denies that an increase in the price of cigarettes would increase the sale of cheap smuggled tobacco.

“High price is not the problem. The problem is that the courts aren’t imposing high enough penalties, there aren’t enough disincentives and a key piece is that the Revenue does not have the resources it needs,” said Kathleen O’Meara, head of advocacy with the Irish Cancer Society.

Smuggling remains a problem in countries such as Turkey where cigarettes are cheap, she said.

Jump to full article »