Calls on Government to add €1 to price of cigarettes

AT LEAST €1 should be added to the price of a packet of cigarettes to discourage young people from smoking, the Office of Tobacco Control (OTC) said yesterday.

The body has called on the Government to implement the price hike by means of a tax rise on cigarettes in the forthcoming budget.

They also want a VAT reduction for nicotine replacement treatments such as patches and gum and to create a dedicated fund for health promotion.