New cigarette price from Sept 1

theSundaily PUTRAJAYA (Aug 14, 2012): The government has set the minimum price of all cigarette brands at RM7, effective Sept 1, and only allows cigarette packets with 20 sticks to be sold.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said with effect from that date, all discounting prices by cigarette companies would also not be allowed.

Cigarette companies would also be required to only produce cigarette carton containing 10 packets, he told a media conference after introducing the ASAP Smoke Free Lifestyle ambassador here today.

He said the move was to facilitate enforcement by the authorities. Liow said that the government had set the minimum price of cigarettes, for all brands, at RM7 for 20 sticks, since last year.

However, there was no ruling then on the packet size with the price of cigarette packets containing 21 sticks at RM7.23, 22 sticks (RM7.70) and 23 sticks (RM8.05).

Liow said that although the government did not allow cigarettes to be sold at a lower price, the cigarette companies had been allowed to make price adjustment three times a year with the difference in the price not exceeding five per cent.

He said the regulations imposed on cigarette companies were aimed at reducing the capability of children, youngsters and the low income earners to buy cigarettes. – Bernama