http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/category/tax.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/imported/closing-the-tobacco-loopholes/66348.aspx http://tobacco.org/news/292213.html EU finance ministers will next week (11 November) try to agree an increase in the minimum rates of excise duty on cigarettes and other tobacco products. The proposal under discussion would raise the minimum excise rate to €90 per 1,000 cigarettes, compared to €64 today. The legislation would also close loopholes that have allowed companies to market cigarettes as cigars and cigarillos, and some fine-cut tobacco as pipe tobacco. Tobacco companies have exploited these loopholes to benefit from lower tax rates applied to those products. . . . It said that these variations were a stimulus to illegal cross-border trade, as it was often cheaper for people to buy cigarettes that had been smuggled in from other EU countries than to buy those legally for sale. The Commission said that this trade undermined government attempts to European Voice Europe Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/opinion/18227-support-from-big-tobacco.html http://tobacco.org/news/292178.html The planned use of additional cigarette taxes for targeted spending on children’s health care is a perfect example of how smokers themselves, through their support for additional taxes on their vice, can contribute to public welfare. A recent study by the government think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) indicates that the proposed restructuring of local taxes on cigarettes and liquor can prospectively raise up to P60 billion in additional revenues for the government every year. Simulations by the government also show that the proposed increase in “sin” taxes, now pending in Congress, can have the biggest impact on revenue collection—an estimated P22 billion in the first year of implementation, another P30 billion to P40 billion in the second year, P40 billion to P50 billion in the third year, and P60 billion to P70 billion annually thereafter. And while Congress contemplates this proposal, the Executive should likewise move to make efficient, transparent, and accountable the collection of taxes on cigarettes and perhaps liquor. If only smokers can support the noble aims of efficient taxation of their vice, then there shouldn’t be any reason for cigarette makers and importers, and even tobacco farmers as well as their representatives in Congress, to fight efforts for better—if not higher—tax collection and cigarettes and tobacco products. How can any of them begrudge or fight efforts to improve health care particularly for children? Business Mirror Philippines Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/northeast/67574252.html http://tobacco.org/news/292165.html State lawmakers at a public hearing heard claims of "lost" tax revenues ranging from tens of millions to billions of dollars from untaxed cigarette sales on Indian reservations. While none of the witnesses backed up their claims with substantive evidence, the Seneca Nation of Indians presented officials with a three-inch thick document on its treaty rights, legal history, and an economic study by a Harvard economist that pinpointed how - and how much - the nation's tobacco-based economy benefits the state. The hearing, which was chaired by Sen. Craig Johnson, D-N.Y., was an all day - and sometimes heated - event at Manhattan Community College Oct. 27. The aim was to investigate why the state has failed in its attempts to collect cigarette taxes from reservation cigarette sales to non-Natives. J.C. Seneca, a Seneca Nation tribal councilor, testifying on behalf of the nation, addressed that question at the beginning of his testimony. "The answer to that question, put simply, is that your government has no authority to do so, Indian Country Today Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://www.observertoday.com/page/content.detail/id/531722.html http://tobacco.org/news/292163.html Seneca President Barry E. Snyder Sr. will travel to Washington, D.C. to participate in a first-of-its-kind national Indian nations conference to be staged by President Barack Obama. The all-day conference will take place today. "During his 2008 presidential campaign Obama promised to go beyond a government-to-government relationship with Native Americans and create a nation-to-nation relationship. This conference indicates he is interested in giving nations a true voice," President Snyder said. "I look forward to taking part in this critical dialogue." In October 2008, Obama pledged, if elected, he would appoint an American Indian policy advisor to his senior White House staff and would host an annual tribal leadership conference. . . . In recent weeks, the Seneca Nation has made a strong stance against renewed efforts by some New York State elected officials to collect taxes on tribal tobacco sales. The Senecas have reiterated their position that long-standing federal treaties prohibit states and other governments from taxing Indian nations. The Senecas are also looking for federal assistance to overturn the Kempthorne policy which prohibits off-reservation gaming. Dunkirk Observer Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/116650 http://tobacco.org/news/292153.html The Consumers Association of Penang lauds the move mooted by Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai that with effect from January 2010, a minimum price will be fixed for a 20-sticks pack of cigarettes at RM6.20. However, it is disappointing to note that the price fixed is so low that this will be a futile move if the government is really serious about addressing the fight against the growing smoking epidemic. In a recent survey carried out by CAP, we found that the sale of 'value brand' cigarettes had increased. We found various brands - some of which were duty-free from Langkawi - being sold and easily available in outlets which sell cigarettes. Some of the brands were imported from Vietnam, Bangladesh and India. Most of these value brands do not even carry the health picture warning. Malaysiakini Malaysia Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/nov/03/taxes-rose-cigar-makers-supersized-their-stogies/ http://tobacco.org/news/292095.html Last spring, the cigar industry fretted that the government might tax so-called "little cigars" into oblivion. Several months later, though, it appears the makers of cigarette-shaped little cigars have found a way to escape the high taxes. The cigar makers have added more weight to their cigars, reclassified them as large cigars and now are subject to a lower tax rate, said Norman Sharp, president of the Cigar Association of America. Last spring, the cigar industry rallied against a higher tax rate implemented to benefit the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP. One Tampa cigar factory, Hav-A-Tampa, blamed SCHIP for a steep drop in sales, and it ceased its Tampa operations over the summer. Hav-A-Tampa's parent, Altadis USA, moved the Tampa plant's operations to Puerto Rico. Little cigars may not be as iconic as fat stogies, but hundreds of millions are produced every year. They look like cigarettes and come 20 to a pack. Some popular brands include Cheyenne and Dutch Treats. . . . Sharp, the cigar association president, said it appears cigar makers changed their production techniques to factor in the SCHIP tax. Tampa Bay Online msasso@tampatrib.com (MICHAEL SASSO * The Tampa Tribune ) Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703294004574511142881811498.html?mod=googlenews_wsj http://tobacco.org/news/292072.html Japan's new administration is considering raising cigarette taxes to European levels to help pay for an ambitious domestic spending plan, in a potential threat to partially state-owned Japan Tobacco Inc. Shares of Japan Tobacco—the world's third largest cigarette company by sales volume, after Altria Group Inc. of the U.S. and British American Tobacco PLC of the U.K.—fell more than 4% Monday before recovering and ending down 0.9% to 254,300 yen, or $2,824.93. The sharp moves followed comments Sunday by a top Japanese health official during a television interview that raised the possibility of the tax increase. "Tobacco poses health problems. It may be necessary to raise [the tobacco tax] to the levels in Europe," said Akira Nagatsuma, minister of health, labor and welfare. The health ministry already has asked the government's tax panel to increase the tobacco tax as part of tax reforms for fiscal 2010. The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition Japan Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/letters-to-the-editor/letters-to-the-editor/2009/04/tax-and-ban-people-still-will-smoke/ http://tobacco.org/news/292046.html So, the cigarette smokers are being ostracized and their habit is the only logical choice, the only viable choice, and the only rational choice to tax. Many low income people smoke. . . . Not all our money is spent on cigarettes, but I’ll be damned if I am going to take responsibility for someone’s children. If I wanted kids, I would have made sure I could provide for and take care of them, not ask other people to do it for me. So, the government can add taxes to one of my little vices, people can complain, and communities, businesses, bars and restaurants can tell us we cannot smoke. But that will just stop me from coming to your community, your restaurants, businesses, and bars and spending my money. I can stay home, not fight the traffic, pay for parking, wait for a table or use the restroom, have my friends over, watch the game on t.v., put something on the grill, and smoke. Just like the Great American Smoke Out, there should be one day across the country when cigarette smokers do not buy cigarettes. St. Louis Post-Dispatch Fri, 03 Apr 2009 04:00:00 GMT http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200911020076.html http://tobacco.org/news/292014.html Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has flagged a tobacco tax increase as a focal point of tax reforms in fiscal 2010. "Raising the (tobacco) tax is a step in the right direction," Hatoyama said Friday His remarks came the same day the government's tax commission finished accepting tax reform proposals for fiscal 2010 from government ministries and agencies. On Sunday, health minister Akira Nagatsuma stressed the need for a hike in the tobacco tax. "A pack of cigarettes should be priced in the same range as in European countries, partly because of health problems," he said on TV. Asahi Shimbum Japan Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://www.onlineprnews.com/news/10151-1256991614-the-continuing-rising-cost-of-cigarettes-forces-more-users-onto-electronic-cigarettes.html http://tobacco.org/news/291999.html Cheap electronic cigarettes (http://www.cheap-electronic-cigarettes.co.uk) is attributing part of its continually impressive sales figures of electronic cigarettes to the increasing cost of tobacco cigarettes. Every budget the Chancellor announces another tax hike of tobacco and as a 20 pack now exceeds £5.60 cigarette smokers are switching to an electronic cigarette to save money and get healthy. Around the UK garages and supermarkets are slowly increasing the cost, some of them quoting that the increase is ‘to help smokers quit’. “Electronic cigarettes are a great alternative to smoking and really allows users to control their nicotine intake rather that with uncontrollable products like gum and patches. Our cartridges come in different strength and flavours so a smoker can easily wean themselves off of nicotine.” Online PR News sales@cheap-electronic-cigarettes.co.uk Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125716473476722663.html http://tobacco.org/news/291995.html Japan's new administration is considering raising cigarette taxes to European levels to help pay for an ambitious domestic spending plan, in a potential threat to partially state-owned Japan Tobacco Inc. Shares of Japan Tobacco, the world's third largest cigarette company by sales volume after Altria Group Inc. of the U.S. and British American Tobacco PLC of the U.K., fell more than 4% Monday before recovering and ending down 0.9% to 254,300 yen, or $2,825.02. The sharp moves followed commments Sunday by a top Japanese health official during a television interview that raised the possibility. ''Tobacco poses health problems. It may be necessary to raise it [the tobacco tax] to the levels in Europe," said Akira Nagatsuma, minister of health, labor and welfare. The health ministry already has asked the government's tax panel to increase the tobacco tax as part of fiscal 2010 tax reforms. An increase of 10 yen per cigarette - 10 times the amount of previous increases - is currently being debated. Cigarettes in Japan are among the cheapest of any developed nation The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition mariko.sanchanta@wsj.com (MARIKO SANCHANTA) Japan Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUST7820820091101 http://tobacco.org/news/291991.html health minister said on Sunday the country's tobacco tax could be raised to levels seen in Europe, reiterating the ministry's proposal forwarded to the government as part of fiscal 2010 tax reforms, Kyodo news agency reported. "Tobacco poses health problems. It may be necessary to raise it (the tobacco tax) to the levels in Europe," health minister Akira Nagatsuma was quoted by Kyodo as telling a TV programme. The comment appeared to be in a reference to a recent comment by the vice health minister that the average tobacco price in developed countries is about 600 yen ($6.7) per pack, compared with around 300 yen for a pack of 20 cigarettes in Japan, Kyodo said. Reuters Japan Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT http://www.nst.com.my/articles/12ex/Article/index_html http://tobacco.org/news/291959.html GEORGE TOWN: The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) has proposed that premium brand cigarettes should be priced at RM30 for a pack of 20. The price now is less than RM10. CAP president S.M. Mohamed Idris also called yesterday for a ban on the sale of "cheap/value brand" cigarettes, which are priced between RM2.20 and RM2.50 per pack of 20. He lauded the move mooted by Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai that from January, a minimum price of RM6.20 be fixed for a pack of 20 cigarettes. NSTP e-Media Malaysia Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne News/Malaysia/Story/A1Story20091031-177012.html http://tobacco.org/news/291957.html GEORGE TOWN, MALAYSIA - The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) has proposed that premium brand cigarettes should be priced at RM30 (S$12.285) for a pack of 20. The price now is less than RM10 (S$4.095). CAP president S.M. Mohamed Idris also called yesterday for a ban on the sale of "cheap/value brand" cigarettes, which are priced between RM2.20 and RM2.50 per pack of 20. He lauded the move mooted by Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai that from January, a minimum price of RM6.20 be fixed for a pack of 20 cigarettes. "However, we feel the price is too low and will not bring about a major impact. We feel the price should be fixed at RM30 for a pack of 20-stick cigarettes," Idris said.. "Ideally, tobacco should be banned completely. The country should be moving in this direction." yesterday. AsiaOne Malaysia Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT http://www.upi.com/Top_News/International/2009/11/01/Japanese-smokers-get-higher-tax/UPI-81981257116191/ http://tobacco.org/news/291944.html pan is considering raising the tobacco tax to European levels in 2010, government officials announced. The current tax on tobacco is about half that of most developed countries; 300 compared to 600 yen ($3.36-$6.73) for a 20-pack of cigarettes, Japan's Kyodo News reported Sunday. UPI Japan Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:00:00 GMT