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The Cancer Society demands higher prices for cigarettes

cigarettesCigarettes.Photo: pixabay.com

Secretary General of the Cancer Society Anne Lise Ryel calls for a sharp price increase on cigarettes in Norway and believes that it is the most important step in getting more people to quit.

“The Minister of Health, Bent Høie, is in favor for increasing the prices for cigarettes when he is abroad, but at home nothing happens. We want a real price increase. Both we and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend a 10 percent increase that must be repeated over time,” says General Secretary of the Cancer Association Anne Lise Ryel to VG.

She says increased prices are the most important means of further reducing the proportion of smokers. She also says that the price of tobacco has long been price indexed.

“It’s almost ten years since the previous government actually increased the taxes on tobacco, so now it’s high time,” says Ryel.

In 2011, there were 17 percent daily smokers in Norway, while in 2018 the figure was 12 percent. However, the trend of party smoking continues, 14 percent between the ages of 16 and 24 smoked last year, which is as many as in 2011.

The Minister of Public Health, Anne Bramo (Frp) says to VG that they do not promise higher prices for cigarettes and reject that what is being said.

“We have recently introduced advertising-free tobacco packaging which is an important step in preventing tobacco use among teens and young adults,” she says.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today

1 Comment on "The Cancer Society demands higher prices for cigarettes"

  1. Joakim Haugen | 24. April 2019 at 11:57 |

    Every single study shows that increasing the price only punish those who have an addiction problem and does not help them quit. The only reason Lise says this nonsense is because she was awarded this job through AP and wants a pay raise. Not even 10% of the money given to this organization goes to the cause instead it goes into the pockets of corrupt politicians who have awarded themselves non taxable work with millions in pay.

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