PARIS: The French government announced it would be hiking the tax on cheap cigarettes and rolling tobacco as part of a campaign to tackle deaths from smoking.
The move follows other initiatives aimed at addressing the figure of some 73,000 annual deaths stemming from the habit.
The tax increase would apply to packs of cigarettes that retail for less than 6.60 euro ($7), which makes up about 40 percent of the brands on the market, according to a statement issued by Health Minister Marisol Touraine.
Taxation per packet would increase by 10-20 cents euro, while rolling tobacco costing less than 8 euro per 30 grams would also be affected by the initiative.
The cost of loose tobacco in France went up from 5.10 euro in 2004 to 9.85 euro in 2016.
Other anti-smoking measures adopted in the European nation include the introduction of “neutral” or plain cigarette packaging that is void of branding, proof-of-age checks for tobacco buyers, as well as the banning of flavored liquids for vaporizers.
