The anti-smoking lobby is at it again, and the people who will be bearing the brunt are smokers as the government will increase taxes being levied on cigarettes from the 1st of January nest year. The increase will be around 10% and will follow suit next New Year’s as well.

Smokers would be a disappointed lot, as the government had hiked taxes on loose-leaf tobacco products by an astounding 24%, just recently in the month of April this year. The same month had witnessed a hike in the production of cigarettes by an impressive 10%.

Apparently, the move has been welcomed by both Labour and National. Though, the Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has voiced her concerns regarding the sudden tax rises, which would go a long way in effecting the finances of people who smoke. Bennet has said that people who stop smoking in such a manner could end up suffering from anxiety and an increase in stress levels.

Talking about the move, a Researcher from the University of Auckland, Dr. Marewa Glover said that though, an increase in taxes helped in curbing smoking. But, the best possible way to solve this problem was to ban smoking in public areas and to implement a steeper rise in taxes.