Working for a tobacco-free Scotland
23 March 2011
ASH Scotland Chief Executive Sheila Duffy has commented on Chancellor George Osborne’s announcements on tobacco duties in the 2011 Budget saying:
“There is much to welcome in today’s Budget. I am pleased that the Chancellor has recognised the differential between cheaper cigarettes and premium cigarettes and is restructuring the duty system accordingly. Equally I commend the decision to increase the duty on hand-rolling tobacco by a further 10% to bring this widely-used tobacco product closer to the duty levels of manufactured cigarettes.
“I offer a reserved welcome to the 2% above inflation rise in tobacco duty. Above inflation rises in tobacco duty can act as a motivator for smokers to quit and a prevention tool to stop young people from starting to smoke. 2% is a small step to reduce smoking, but it could have been the bigger step of a 5% above inflation increase as outlined in the ASH Budget submission supported by 68 health organisations including ASH Scotland.
“As this time of austerity and cuts to public services, a bigger increase in tobacco duty could have helped pay for the much needed services to tackle tobacco which continues to kill half of all its long term users. In addition, the price of smoking to Scotland is around £1.1billion every year which is a huge cost to bear. Even when tobacco revenues gained are taken into account there is still a tobacco black hole of at least £129 million and a bigger above inflation increase could have helped fill that gap.”
Action on Smoking & Health (Scotland) (ASH Scotland) is a registered Scottish charity (SC 010412) and a company limited by guarantee(Scottish company no 141711). The registered office is 8 Frederick Street, Edinburgh EH2 2HB.
© 2012 ASH Scotland
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