Raising Liquor Tax

3.20 The excise duty rates of certain liquors will be raised with effect from today. This increase will help discourage excessive consumption of alcohol, and iron out some anomalies in our liquor taxes. The new rates are at Annex 2.

3.21 The increase in excise duty rates will yield $18 million annually.

Raising Tobacco Tax

3.22 To discourage smoking, especially by our youth, I have decided to raise the excise duty on tobacco products with effect from today. Excise duty on cigarettes will go up from $180 per kilogram to $210 per kilogram. The excise duties of other tobacco products at Annex 3 will also go up. The estimated annual revenue gain is about $100 million.