Hyderabad: Youth urge Modi, Nirmala to hike duty on tobacco products

Hyderabad: On the eve of National Youth Day-2022 which is themed around 'Saksham Yuva, Sashakth Yuva (capable youth, strong youth)', over 500 youth, including associations' members, across the country urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi

and Finance Minister to increase the excise duty on all tobacco products in the upcoming budget of 2022-23.

The WHO recommended that share of tax for tobacco products should be increased to 75 per cent of the retail price.

According to youth groups, this decision can be a very effective policy measure to be a winning proposition for generating revenue and reducing tobacco use and related diseases as well as Covid-related comorbidities.

Some major recommendations include increasing the tax burden so that tobacco products become unaffordable by the vulnerable and reducing the economic burden it imposes. Minimising discrepancies in taxation on tobacco products and simplifying tobacco tax structure by reducing the number of tax tiers and implementing stronger packing rules.

PV Sindhu said tobacco use not only harms our health but is also a threat to health. Additionally, tobacco users also have a greater risk of developing severe cases of Covid. I want all of you to break free from dependence on tobacco and stay healthy.

Preethi, a student at MDD Bal Bhawan said tobacco should be made so unaffordable so that no one loses their dear ones to addictions caused due to increasing accessibility to tobacco products.

Sumith, a tenth class student, said, "To discourage usage of tobacco products, we have used many tools in the past. However, they all have not made any major change in the usage. The final tool left with us is to hike the tax on tobacco so that the products become unaffordable for the ones who are capable of buying it, using their pocket money."