Higher cigarette taxes in Qatar?
The Peninsula is reporting that Qatar is looking to decrease smoking by increasing the tax on cigarettes:
DOHA: The government is likely to increase tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products in a bid to curb their use.
Plans are also afoot to raise penalties on smoking in places where it is legally banned. More places are to be specified where smoking might not be allowed.
The idea is to discourage smokers from continuing with the habit and reduce the number of tobacco addicts in the country in line with the target set within goals of the National Development Plan 2011-16.
The State Cabinet is taking a closer look at the possibility of amending the law (No 20 of 2002) which bans smoking in public places, including schools and restaurants, and regulates the sale and use of tobacco products.
I for one welcome such measures but am not sure how effective they will be. The most annoying thing is seeing someone smoke right below the no-smoking sign at a Star Bucks or Costa Coffee!
Khanan, you still awake???
why didn't u informed me earlier.. that u are in mood of Karak and some dukhan ;)
its late now...
lets make it on weekend
Allthe best 'n thanks Buddy!
Happy Smoking and KARAKING ! !
to join me for karak.. :)
CIAO!!
CIAO ! ! Go ahead ! !
is going to die...smoke or without it...
Smokers will smoke regardless of warnings and taxes and whatever..
No ! !
Want to save them! !
Already they are bound to be killed one or another day by cancer!
It's an amazing fact that most of the educated people ignore the Dire consequential WARNING on the Cigerette packs! !
you want to kill all the smokers???
stay indoors....
Yeah! PEman is absolutely correct.
A smoker is after all smoker and he is an Addict!
A Drunkard would be able to quite Alcohol, and Criminal can become a saint but A SMOKER cannot leave smoking!
Whatever comes in the way!
Hiking the Taxes and the prices will not have any effect until enforcement of the Law strongly by prohibiting to smoke in public places if voilated should be fined heavily.
The Passive smokers are prone to the double ill-effects due to these smokers!
along corniche with karak in this beautiful weather is a bliss..
anyone up for karak and smoke ???
I am with Joe's point, I am a brisk walker along Corniche to inhale fresh air from seashore. It is really annoying to smell burning cigs and see smokers do not care at all. This is common sense but we can not do anything, how can we expect people not to smoke in corniche where in fact smokers are smoking in no smoking places like "star bucks".
The main thing that government can do to reduce smoking is by full enforcing the law, if no one is smoking in NO SMOKING places, that is surely a big step in reducing smokers. For lower earners,increasing the tax means the end user will just change his cig brand according to his budget and others will just buy even in higher price and continue smoking at "star bucks".
Joe, are you nuts? What is problem I smoking in corniche??
And no matter who much packet is expensive, if i'm smoker, I dnt care abt de price,
Starbucks = Safehaven for smokers.
Just like with traffic laws, most would wipe their arses with them... more enforcement and impartiality, please!
Yes Fubar, its really annoying seeing people sitting in Cafes especially in Malls right under the No Smoking Sign and having a smoke!
This will have no real impact in my opinion. As you say UKEng, Western countries already charge upwards of 50Q per pack, and people still smoke.
I'd rather the government enforce existing non-smoking rules in cafes (and the toilets at City Center mall) if they want to be taken seriously on the issue of smoking.
you are not only slowly killing yourself but you are affecting others health in public places by passive smoking. Appreciate this effort of govt. not ENOUGH only increase in taxes but THEY SHOULD place the pictures OF results of heavy smokers disease to discourage for smoking... like req. to label on each pack just like in some countries. BTW > 2 years b4 i used to be a smoker who smoke 5-10/day > now the sky is clean and fresh!!! figured out I'd saved some petty cash a month and save a litter ozone layer on my health and environment. CHEERS !!!
I agree with Abdooli completely. If a person has to stop smoking he has to do it himself. I am a smoker myself...would not call myself a chain smoker....Iam more of an occasional smoker as in I smoke when I have a couple of drinks. I managed to stop it completely for two years myself when I wanted to and from that experience, I can tell that if one has the will power to stop, he can.
Being a smoker, there are three things that I hate: 1. Smoking in the car 2. Smoking indoors 3. Smoking at public places where it is strictly banned such as coffee shops and malls.
I have seen people walk around in the mall smoking and not giving a damn about anybody. Its very annoying.
Whether you smoke or not, everyone should develop civic sense.
At the moment price of a pack is QR7 I think! What price will stop people from smoking? QR50 a pack like some western countries?
I don't really see this as a step to prevent people from buying cigarettes - like Strawberry_shisha said. Even for people who are already addicted but don't earn enough to make decent savings; they will find ways. One of my old-friends, who's a smoker of 2 packs a day, said (when his government increased the taxes, yet again) that he'll definitely reduce buying cigarettes but will get them off his better-off friends (a shift only in terms of the source, quantity remains).
It is a pitty to see some people come to Corniche and some other places and start SMOKING, where many others come for Fresh air and some work out or relaxaction. I sincerly wish the Government treat all such places a Non smoking areas and heavy penality imposed on violators
to someone who earns big and can afford cigs, they'll buy no matter what the price is..(esp if the person is chain-smoker)
Shisha read again the below..
The government is likely to increase tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products in a bid to curb their use.
tabacco related, which means Shisha!
that doesnt make sense, if u want the person to stop, that person has to do it their selfs, so whatever the price was, smokers will STILL buy it if they want to
it will not make any difference for those who smoke free cigrates... :)
that good,
ya UK there should increase for shisha too
atleast you will stop smoking now.
ukeng, i bet no..hehe
Will this also mean taxes on Shisha?