The anti-smoking organisation, Ash Ireland, has said it is "bitterly disappointed" that the price of 20 cigarettes has risen by only 10p, and not 20p as it had hoped.This increase "will have no impact on the present smoking levels", it said in a statement.It called on the Ministers for Finance and Health to set a target of £4 per packet of 20 cigarettes over the next four years."The Minister now has an opportunity to announce such a decision and this, in itself, will be of assistance to the 75 per cent of smokers who actually want to stop smoking", it said."Research shows that for every percentage point that tobacco prices increased above the cost of living, a half per cent decrease in the number of people is achieved."Dr Fenton Howell, a public health doctor and member of the Ash Board, said: "We must seriously question whether the Minister was approached by the tobacco industry and what its representatives said to him."For children, in particular, we know that the price is the single biggest influence on them stopping smoking or not starting in the first place. Even the Tories in Britain had a policy of going at least 3 per cent above inflation. "This Budget shows that Tony Blair's government is not the only one beholden to the tobacco industry. The Minister will have to keep increasing the health budget to deal with the fall-out from tobacco."Ash said: "The reality that 6,000 people die from tobacco use in this country every year must be faced up to and dealt with by the government. An ongoing policy by the Government of significant annual price increases in tobacco products will deter our young people from experimentation with tobacco and greatly assist those addicted in tackling this major health risk."The Food, Drink and Tobacco Federation of IBEC did not respond to a request for a comment.