Breakfast with Ryan Huang, Emaad Akhtar and Audrey Siek (6am-9am)Why It Matters: Will the tobacco tax increase help to lower smoking prevalence in Singapore?
Cigarettes are now more expensive in Singapore after Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong announced that tobacco taxes will increase by 15 per cent during Budget 2023.
The latest tax increase is expected to generate an additional S$100 million in revenue each year. But beyond providing a boost to the economy, will the tax increase help to lower the smoking prevalence in Singapore?
Yvette van der Eijk, Assistant Professor, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, NUS explains why this tobacco tax model needs to be maintained to make more people kick the habit.
