Editorial | All cigarettes, illicit or legal, are a threat
- Arguments that raising the tax on tobacco would only boost the black market simply cloud what is truly important – that Hong Kong is slowly but surely moving towards a smoke-free society
Black market cigarettes may cast a shadow over plans to reduce smoking rates in the city through a proposed increase in tobacco taxes. A recent survey found about 80 per cent of users would rather buy cheaper illicit products than quit. While discouraging, the findings should not prevent the government from considering a tax disincentive and more law enforcement to hit its goal of cutting tobacco use from 9.5 per cent of the population to 7.8 per cent by 2025.
More than 2,000 smokers and non-smokers were approached for the survey by the Long-term Tobacco Policy Concern Group. The results unveiled on January 31 also said 68 per cent of respondents believed that tobacco control measures would not be effective if illicit cigarette trading remained unchecked.
The lobbying group’s findings were immediately attacked by government anti-tobacco advisers at the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health.
Noting that the illicit tobacco market had thrived for years despite static tax rates, they pointed to a University of Hong Kong survey last year showing that 67 per cent of smokers would cut down or quit if prices rose. The council said the government should double the cigarette tax, boosting prices to almost HK$100 (US$12.75) a pack.
The concern group behind the more recent survey said their findings indicated that most people believed it was easy to buy black market cigarettes online or through phone calls and text messaging. Higher taxes, they argued, would only make the illicit trade more rampant.