Tobacco.org

• Smokers may be singed by tax hikes 

China plans to increase taxes on mid- and low-end cigarettes in a bid to curb expanding tobacco consumption in the country, Minister of Health Chen Zhu said on Friday.

The move follows the tax hike targeting high-end cigarettes in 2009, which hasn't met the country's target of easing the rising use of tobacco, Chen said.

"We notice that most of the growing proportion of smokers are young adults, who consume low-end cigarettes and are sensitive to prices. As such, I'm confident that the tax hike will effectively help reduce the number of smokers without affecting fiscal revenue," Chen said on the sidelines of the plenary sessions of the ongoing National People's Congress.

The tax charge is "imperative" given the growing health and environmental concerns arising from smoking, Chen said.

Jump to full article »