Smoking among Sri Lankans have increased by 15 per cent despite the introduction of pictorial warnings and price increase by the government. What is most amazing is that tax revenue to be paid to the Government by the Tobacco Company had decreased to Rs. 52 billion from Rs. 125 billion even though smoking had witnessed a 15 per cent increase, said Board of Investment Chairman Upul Jayasuriya, speaking after handing over medical equipment and drugs valued at over Rs. 1.5 million to the Maharagama Apeksha hospital yesterday.
The Project was organized by the BOI Buddhist society.
He said that smokers tend to use alternatives such as beedi due to the increase of cigarette prices resulting in tax loss to the government. Jayasuriya stressed the importance of a novel mechanism to wipe out smoking in society
Add new comment