MR QUINN has increased tobacco excise duty by 7p per pack of 20 cigarettes, including VAT, with effect from midnight last night. There will be pro rata increases for other tobacco products, such as cigars, also from midnight.
The Irish Cancer Society criticised the 7p increase as totally inadequate. Mr Tom Hudson, the society chief executive, said 30 per cent of cancers in Ireland were caused by cigarette smoking and there was evidence that significant price increases influenced the purchasing of cigarettes by teenagers.
He added that the rise would do nothing to advance the Government's National Health Promotion Strategy, which is to reduce the percentage of people smoking from the current 29 per cent to 20 per cent by 2000.
ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) Ireland, in conjunction with the Irish Heart Foundation, expressed "extreme disappointment" with the 7p increase.
"This is the lowest price increase in several years and must raise the possibility of the tobacco lobby succeeding with the Minister while the health lobby failed," said ASH Ireland.