CAP calls for higher cigarette tax to curb smoking among youths

The finance ministry has been urged to consider an increase in the sales tax on cigarettes in the 2027 budget proposal.

The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) called for the increase to curb the rising smoking habit among youths, Bernama reported.

CAP senior education officer NV Subbarow cited statistics from the health ministry taken a few years ago, which showed that 43,019 secondary school students and 341 primary school students had started smoking.

He said smokers were also reported to be spending nearly RM700 a month on cigarettes, that are found to contain thousands of chemicals.

“Higher prices make tobacco products less affordable, which would reduce overall consumption and encourage users to quit or cut down on smoking.

“It would also make it more difficult for teenagers and young people to start smoking. Therefore, CAP believes that the time has come to impose a mandatory sales tax on cigarettes,” he said in a statement today.

Subbarow, who is also an anti-smoking activist, said an increase in the sales tax would reduce government spending by an average of RM16 billion annually on treating smoking-related diseases.

He said the World Health Organisation recommends price and tax measures as an effective way to reduce tobacco use, a policy that has been found to have a positive impact in many countries.

The 2027 budget is expected to be tabled by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is also finance minister, on Oct 9.

Last November, the government increased the cigarette tax by two sen per stick. It was the first increase since September 2014, when the tax was increased from 28 sen to 40 sen per stick.