DOH to push for NT$10 cigarette tax price increase

Minister of Health Yeh Chin-chuan stressed at the Legislature that the tax hike could help curb underage smoking as well as subsidize the health insurance of underprivileged families.

According to the DOH, the planned hike of cigarettes could take place as early as next year, pending on approval by the Cabinet and the Legislature.

There are currently more than 4.5 million smokers in Taiwan, and that about 20,000 people die from smoking related illnesses every year.

A pack of cigarettes here can cost as little as NT$40 (US$1.3).

On the eve of World No Tobacco Day, the John Tung Foundation (JTF) first warned that more and more youth in Taiwan are starting to smoke, and urged the Cabinet to raise the price of cigarettes and step up warnings against smoking.

The JTF, founded in 1984, is one of the most active non-governmental organizations in Taiwan that advocates tobacco control.

Yet, New Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corp. Chairman Duan Wei said last August that the state-run company’s prices have not risen at all recently and that the company will strive to keep prices steady under his leadership.

The last NT$5 to NT$10 cigarettes price hike took place in 2006.

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