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Tobacco tax could rise more than planned

2021-05-18T18:03:08.374Z


According to the plan so far, the tax on cigarettes should be increased by eight cents. Specialist politicians from the Union and the SPD are now pleading for a stronger increase. Shisha tobacco could also become more expensive.


Cigarettes in a close-up

Photo: Daniel Karmann / dpa

In order to stop more people from smoking or to get them to quit, the Berlin government coalition could raise the cigarette tax more than planned. "So far, only a moderate increase is planned - in the interests of health protection we can imagine increasing the tobacco tax on incineration cigarettes more than previously planned," said the reporter of the SPD parliamentary group on this subject, Michael Schrodi. His counterpart in the Union faction, the CSU politician Sebastian Brehm, had previously made a similar statement in the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung”.

According to a draft law by the Federal Ministry of Finance, the tobacco tax on combustion cigarettes is to increase by around 8 cents per pack per year in the period 2022 to 2026. If the two politicians get serious and get their groups involved, this value could increase. How high is not yet certain - that could crystallize in the coming weeks after internal coalition negotiations. An expert hearing on the subject will take place on Monday in the Bundestag Finance Committee.

From the point of view of SPD politician Schrodi, the requirement contained in the draft law is too low.

It has been proven that many people quit or did not even start smoking when cigarettes were particularly expensive.

"If we increase price sensitivity among consumers, this would have positive consequences - for the health of individuals and for our entire society."

»Shishas can be the starting point«

Brehm and Schrodi are also in favor of taxing the water pipe tobacco used in hookahs higher.

»Shishas are particularly attractive to young people.

They can be the starting point for cigarette smoking, «says Schrodi.

Higher taxes and thus higher prices are a deterrent for young people and a reason not to even start.

The SPD man compared shishas with alcopops, sweet alcoholic mixed drinks that young people can get used to drinking alcohol.

Alcopops were subject to a special tax almost two decades ago.

From Schrodi's point of view, this has also meant that alcopops are no longer as widespread as they were back then.

dab / dpa

Source: spiegel

All business articles on 2021-05-18

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