Fury over FG TD’s call to cut tobacco excise

THE stop smoking lobby group Ash has lashed Fine Gael’s enterprise spokesman Leo Varadkar for questioning the effectiveness of expensive excise duties in preventing people from smoking.

Ash said there was international evidence underpinning the Government’s decision to increase the price of cigarettes by 50 cent, and it helped price young people out of the market.

“There is international evidence to suggest the best measure in relation to deterring young people in particular from taking up smoking is price,” a spokesman said.