The Associated Press Pakistan branch reported, citing data from Capital Calling, that cigarette consumption in Pakistan fell by 20 billion sticks due to a sharp increase in federal excise taxes.
In February 2023, after several consecutive years of relatively small tax increases, the Pakistani government increased the excise tax on cigarettes by 146%.
Capital Calling found in its research that tax increases prompted 14% of smokers to quit smoking, resulting in 11 billion fewer cigarettes consumed, and 10% of smokers reduced cigarette consumption, which reduced cigarette consumption by an additional 9 billion. .
