Campaigners welcome VAT cut on anti-smoking products » Health » 24dash.com

Anti-smoking campaigners welcomed a VAT cut on nicotine patches and gum.

But they described the Chancellor's inflation-linked 11p rise on packs of 20 cigarettes as a missed opportunity.

VAT on nicotine replacement products will drop from 17.5% to 5% from July 1.

Gordon Brown described the measure as a "new incentive" to encourage people trying to quit smoking.

Campaign group Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) said the "surprise" move would help people on low incomes to afford anti-smoking aids for longer.

Ash director Deborah Arnott said nicotine products could double smokers' chances of kicking the habit.

"Reducing the price will encourage many more smokers to use these products so making it more likely they can successfully quit," she said.

"We congratulate the Government on making this budget a quitters' budget."

But Ash said the inflation-linked increase on cigarettes fell short of the 19p per pack rise which it wanted.

Smokers' lobby group Forest was disappointed with the Budget announcement.

Spokesman Neil Rafferty said: "People choose to smoke. If they choose to quit, they should not be subsidised by the rest of the population.

"This is great news for the pharmaceutical industry but bad news for the British taxpayer."

Ken Patel, spokesman for the Retailers Against Smuggling campaign which is funded by the Tobacco Manufacturers' Association, said: "UK tobacco tax levels are the highest in the EU. With this tax rise, the Chancellor has just created greater opportunities for the smugglers."

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) welcomed the VAT change and called for nicotine replacement products to be sold alongside cigarettes on shop shelves.

BHF director of policy and communications Betty McBride said: "The decision to reduce VAT on nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products is brilliant news.

"This will make giving up smoking easier for the millions who want to quit.

"We now urge retailers and manufacturers to make NRT products available to buy alongside cigarettes on the shelves and in vending machines and to reduce their prices to help smokers quit.

"However, we are disappointed the Chancellor didn't take a two-pronged approach to help smokers quit by increasing tax on cigarettes above inflation."

Ben Peters, marketing manager for Nicorette at Pfizer Consumer Health Products Company, said: "As the introduction of smoke-free legislation draws closer, this is a helpful further incentive for more individuals to choose to double their chances of quitting by using Nicorette."

The British Medical Association (BMA) criticised the inflation-linked price rise on packs of cigarettes.

BMA deputy chairman Dr Sam Everington said: "Reducing the VAT on nicotine replacement therapy is a good way of actively encouraging people to quit smoking.

"However we are very disappointed the Chancellor didn't go further and increase the duty on tobacco beyond the rate of inflation.

"There is strong evidence that higher prices are one of the most effective ways of helping people give up smoking and preventing young people from starting.

"An 11p rise on the price of a packet of cigarettes is not enough. The Government should be doing all it can to tackle the devastation caused by smoking."

National Consumer Council (NCC) deputy chief executive Philip Cullum said: "We welcome the cut in VAT on products that help people stop smoking - an idea which emerged in NCC's consumer forum with the Chancellor last week.

"Smoking costs the economy around £14 billion a year and a consumer-focused approach is the best way of tackling this issue."

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