Govt hikes duty on cigarettes by 25p

The Gibraltar Government has increased duty on cigarettes by 25p per packet.

“The increase is part of the continued process of incentivising citizens to stop smoking and to ensure that Gibraltar is not attractive to those who would exploit the illicit market in this commodity,” No.6 Convent Place said.

“The measure follows the many other steps already taken by the current administration to tighten up tobacco laws.”

Health authorities in Gibraltar continue to voice concern about the high number of smokers in Gibraltar, which is about double the rate in the UK.

A lifestyle survey conducted on the Rock in 2021 showed that some 23% of the population smoked, which is almost 1 in 4 people.

“The number of people that smoke in Gibraltar is definitely over 20% and it's nearly twice the rates that they have in the UK,” Dr Helen Carter, the Director of Public Health, told the Chronicle in early October, coinciding with the GHA’s ‘Stoptober’ campaign encouraging smokers to quit.

“That’s not surprising taking into account how cheap cigarettes are here in Gibraltar.”

“I am still concerned about the levels of smoking that we have in the population here.”

“We know though the health effects of smoking are very well established, and we also know it's really hard for people to stop smoking.”

The 2021 survey showed 51.9% of smokers in Gibraltar had started by the age of 16.