Doctors call for €2 cigarette price hike

CONSUMERS could face a €2 rise in the price of cigarettes and a huge 20% jump in the levy on spirits if the latest health-based budget proposals are introduced by the Finance Minister next week.

The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland has made the drastic call for significant rises in the price of cigarettes, spirits, and other alcohol products in an attempt to safeguard the country’s health.

And with the financial pressures on the exchequer becoming increasingly obvious in recent days, due to the international economic crisis, the medical group’s faculty of public health medicine has stated that its proposals will help improve the country’s coffers as well, with an untapped cash resource available on our doorstep.

Under the proposals, a 20-pack of cigarettes will see a €2 levy increase, with a 10% levy rise on alcohol products and a 20% levy jump for spirits.

The medical group has also called for a 3% cut in the duty levied on non-alcoholic drinks, with a series of “evidence-based strategies to reduce the harm” of alcohol and tobacco products on the Irish population also potentially on the cards.

“There is a compelling argument for an increase in the price of a packet of 20 cigarettes, a measure which could see over 150,000 smokers quitting and an increase in tax revenues for the government,” emphasised faculty spokesperson and public health specialist Dr Fenton Howell.

“Half of all smokers are killed as a direct result of their smoking, and half of them die prematurely, depriving them of 10 healthy quality years of life.

“It is difficult to imagine any other policy change which would have such an impact on reducing smoking prevalence so dramatically.”

He added that a recent World Health Organisation report on global tobacco “epidemic”, published earlier this year, stated that the increase in levies can result in a 4% drop in tobacco usage in high-income countries like Ireland.

His colleague, Dr Declan Bedford, added that similar progress can also be made with alcohol-related tax hikes.

“The evidence is clear from the international literature that increasing taxation on alcohol is among the most effective methods for reducing consumption and harm particularly among young persons.

“While taxes are already high in Ireland, alcohol is now much more affordable. The evidence is that a further rise in excise will reduce consumption, as happened with spirits in 2002,” said Dr Bedford.