Executive Director of Verite Research, Dr. Nishan De Mel said that the number of cigarettes smoked in Sri Lanka annually is higher in 2016 and 2015 than 2014.
Addressing a press conference held at the Government Information Department Auditorium in Colombo yesterday he said that in 2014 only 3560 million cigarettes have been smoked in Sri Lanka but in 2015 it has increased up to 3960.
In 2016 the figure recorded as 3790 million.
At least smoking should be reduced by 25 percent. The profit of the cigarette company has increasing rapidly than the tobacco tax income increase of the Government.
A formula should be introduced as soon as possible to decide the tax on tobacco, he said.
ADIC Executive Director Pubudu Sumanasekara said that people do not smoke beedi after increasing the price of cigarettes as stated in media reports. There are cheep cigarettes in the market. It is very difficult to make Finance Ministry and Financial section of media institutions realize the truth about tobacco industry, he said.