Tax on fags should be increased from budget; not the price: ADIC

12 November 2022 11:11 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 18 Bookmark

A A A

Join our WhatsApp Channel

Tax on cigarette should be increased from the upcoming budget instead of increasing the prices of cigarette.

Alcohol and Drug Information Centre (ADIC) Executive Director Pubudu Sumanasekara said.

He told media that the government usually increases price of cigarette in every budget and that it was a wrong move.

He said Cigarette manufacturing companies earn a huge profit and take them to their countries due to the failed tax policy.

Sumanasekara said Sri Lanka lose about Rs. 40 billion annually as the country has failed to introduce a proper tax policy and collect taxes.

Comments - 18

Sambo Saturday, 12 November 2022 11:57 AM

In Sri Lanka the policy is increase the price of anything to increase revenue instead of looking where the loss is coming from. We don't need think tanks for such moves.

0 0

H Siyambalapitiya Saturday, 12 November 2022 12:49 PM

To clarify the situation further, tobacco products should be taxed to the maximum level following a proper scientific indexation. High tax will lead to much higher cigarette prices, resulting in reduced affordability, reduced consumption and increased revenue to the government. Simply, this will lead to a win-win situation and finance sustainability in the long run.

0 0

Senaka Saturday, 12 November 2022 12:58 PM

This is very true. Every time governments says they increase the price of cigarettes from the budget but from that amount more than 50% goes back to the industry and they make huge profits. Even previous budget price increase industry got 51% and tax was only 49%. So government would have increased the tax to maximum without donating the money to British American tobacco. BAT( more than 84% of the shares of CTC still owned by BAT)

0 0

Nisha Arunatilake Saturday, 12 November 2022 01:07 PM

Excatly. The budget should only increase taxes. Prices are set by companies, taxes by the government. Budget should concentrate on increasing taxes.

0 0

Nidarshana Saturday, 12 November 2022 01:20 PM

Well! This is a good point! Because people suffer in many ways due to economic crisis! But taxes on cigarettes and alcohol were did not increase that much, if we compared to the essential goods and even essential medicines taxes went up! We should raise up our voices to increase tax on cigarettes!

0 0

Mahesh Saturday, 12 November 2022 02:46 PM

Tax tax tax. Instead look what exactly causing the loss for the nation. It is the unproductive public sector. Reduce that to one third in a 1 year process. Also stop funding loss making organizations. Also make it possible to remove anyone from any job irrespective of years served by giving 6 months salary.

0 0

Oswald Bandara Saturday, 12 November 2022 03:57 PM

Simple truth is Tobacco kills people and one recommended method to reduce tobacco use is increasing the tobacco tax. if someone try to protect tobacco, he or she will help kill people.

0 0

go to hell Saturday, 12 November 2022 04:02 PM

Are their any brainny people in the parliament?go to hell

0 0

vithura Saturday, 12 November 2022 05:20 PM

What a dumb suggestion. If the aim is to drive down the levels of smoking, then logically the price of cigarettes have to be increased in line with any increase in taxation to disincentive the smoker.

0 0

Mahila Saturday, 12 November 2022 11:58 PM

The proposal incentivise smoking! fast track suffering and terminal cancer!!! DUMBEST IDEA BY COLLECTIVE OF DUMBEST OF ELITES!!!!

0 0

Fair Thinker Saturday, 12 November 2022 07:08 PM

It's not fair, if its done this way, how can the politicians get the cut from the British American tobacco. Common ...

0 0

Reply to Vithura Saturday, 12 November 2022 08:33 PM

sorry Vithura, you have misunderstood what the director has suggested. He says to increase the tax component, this too will increase the price of cigarette, but the increased amount will go directly to the governtment, otherwise only half of it to the govt. and rest to the BAT.

0 0

Dissapointed Reader Saturday, 12 November 2022 08:36 PM

On this page, you cannot reply a comment, after typing there is no button to send . Please look into it. I can't believe it, such a popular site is having this type of errors.

0 0

joshua Saturday, 12 November 2022 09:12 PM

If you keep increasing the prices, illegal fag sales will go up. That means people will continue to smoke but with lesser income to the Government. This executive director seems to have studied economics with Cabraal. Ha haa......

0 0

Abdul raheem Sunday, 13 November 2022 09:17 AM

I am very happy about this conversation. Because I can found how many people support to protect my children also from tobacco industry. Because tobacco industry try to get officers to make spoil this truth. But more and more people doing good work for protect our children. This is good indicator for our country. Will see how many people in the parliment to represent tobacco industry and how many people sitting to protect our children?

0 0

dhanu Monday, 14 November 2022 08:23 AM

He is not an Economist. He is only a parrot working for a NGO.

0 0

dhanu Monday, 14 November 2022 08:23 AM

He is not an Economist. He is only a parrot working for a NGO.

0 0

222

Add comment
Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.