Trinidad and Tobago to increase about 20 percent taxes on Tobacco

Trinidad and Tobago: Finance Minister Colm Imbert says the movement to increase tobacco taxes is to help oneself smoke less given the severe health risks.

Imbert moved a proposal that the House confirm that the Provisional Collection of Taxes Order, 2020 at the Parliament proceedings at the Red House.

The bill, which is approved, discussed to increase in taxes on cigarettes and tobacco at least by 20% in terms of customs duties and excise duties as well as an improvement in weed tax for extra-regional products.

Imbert said in Trinidad and Tobago, and it is estimated that more than 33 per cent of adult males and at least ten per cent of adult women use or have used tobacco-related products.

“I’m told, and it is quite surprising that we in Trinidad and Tobago have the fourth-highest episodes of smoking between the age group 13 to 15-year-olds in the region,” he added.

He noted cigarettes increases the risk of coronary bosom disease.

The minister said it had been prepared based in investigations done by various health professionals that progress on taxes on tobacco in T&T does exert a downward force on using. He continued that the cost of taking care of one personality with lung cancer is $500,000.

Imbert further explained that prior to the budget he got one letter from the Cancer Society of Trinidad and Tobago asking him to increase tobacco taxes, pointing out that T&T’s taxes on tobacco are the lowest in the world.

He said the society provided items and statistics on what cancer does to the body. Imbert said he also got a letter from WITCO urging him not to increase tobacco taxes.

He said making these times feels like “deja vu” for him as he assembled that as Health Minister in 2002 he went to Geneva and approved the agreement to establish a programme for the limitation of tobacco and the decrease of usage.