Korea
Selatan mengusulkan kenaikan tajam 80 persen harga rokok untuk mengurangi
konsumsi di negara itu. Negeri ginseng salah satu negara dengan tingkat perokok laki-laki
tertinggi di dunia.
Keputusan
persetujuan dari DPR , tetapi Menteri Kesehatan Bulan Hyung - Pyo mengatakan
hal itu diperlukan untuk melawan apa yang telah menjadi " ancaman terbesar
bagi kesehatan nasional " .
Usulan
akan melihat harga rata-rata sebungkus rokok meningkat dari 2.500 ₩ ( RM7.7 ) atau setara Rp 26.950 menjadi 4.500 Won (RM14,58menjadi Rp 51.30 per 1 Januari tahun depan .
Moon
mengatakan pihaknya memprediksi kenaikan akan membantu mengurangi konsumsi
tembakau sebesar 34 persen dan meningkatkan pendapatan pajak tahunan sebesar
2,8 triliun won.
Sekitar
44 persen pria dewasa Korea Selatan adalah perokok , tingkat tertinggi di
antara negara-negara anggota Organisasi untuk Kerjasama Ekonomi dan Pembangunan
depan Turki , Yunani , Estonia dan Jepang .
Pemerintah
telah mengambil serangkaian langkah dalam beberapa tahun terakhir untuk
menurunkan tingkat , termasuk larangan merokok di tempat umum .
Serta
kenaikan harga mengumumkan Kamis , Moon mengatakan tembakau kemasan harus
menyertakan gambar bahaya yang disebabkan oleh rokok , sementara iklan tembakau
akan dilarang di toko-toko ritel .
"
Kami berharap langkah-langkah anti - merokok kami yang komprehensif akan
menyebabkan luka yang cukup besar dalam merokok dan pengeluaran sosial untuk
kesehatan , " kata Moon .
Asosiasi
Korea Merokok telah menentang kenaikan, menuduh pemerintah mengkambinghitamkan
perokok untuk meningkatkan pendapatan pajak, dan mengurangi biaya kesejahteraan
meningkat.
Pemerintah
telah berjanji untuk menghabiskan ₩
316 Triliun mulai tahun sekarang dan 2018 untuk kesejahteraan sosial.
Sumber : http://www.themalaymailonline.com/features/article/south-korea-hikes-cigarette-prices-a-whopping-80pc
SEOUL,
Sept 11 —South Korea today proposed a steep 80 per cent hike in
cigarette prices to cut consumption in a nation with one of the world's
highest male smoking rates.
The decision requires parliamentary approval, but Health Minister Moon
Hyung-Pyo said it was necessary to counter what has become the "biggest
threat to national health".
The proposal would see the average price of a packet of cigarettes rise from 2,500 won (RM7.7) to 4,500 won from January 1 next year.
Moon said his ministry predicted the increase would help cut tobacco consumption by 34 per cent and raise annual tax revenues by 2.8 trillion won.
Around 44 per cent of adult South Korean men are smokers, the highest rate among member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development ahead of Turkey, Greece, Estonia and Japan.
The government has taken a series of measures in recent years to bring down the rate, including a ban on smoking in public places.
As well as the price hike announced Thursday, Moon said tobacco
packaging would have to include pictures of the harm caused by smoking,
while tobacco ads would be banned in retail stores.
"We hope our comprehensive anti-smoking measures will lead to a considerable cut in smoking and social spending on health," Moon said.
The Korean Smoking Association has opposed the increase, accusing the government of scapegoating smokers to raise tax revenues and offset rising welfare costs.
The government has promised to spend 316 trillion won between now and 2018 on social welfare.
- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/features/article/south-korea-hikes-cigarette-prices-a-whopping-80pc#sthash.7jrMsUvN.dpuf
The proposal would see the average price of a packet of cigarettes rise from 2,500 won (RM7.7) to 4,500 won from January 1 next year.
Moon said his ministry predicted the increase would help cut tobacco consumption by 34 per cent and raise annual tax revenues by 2.8 trillion won.
Around 44 per cent of adult South Korean men are smokers, the highest rate among member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development ahead of Turkey, Greece, Estonia and Japan.
The government has taken a series of measures in recent years to bring down the rate, including a ban on smoking in public places.
"We hope our comprehensive anti-smoking measures will lead to a considerable cut in smoking and social spending on health," Moon said.
The Korean Smoking Association has opposed the increase, accusing the government of scapegoating smokers to raise tax revenues and offset rising welfare costs.
The government has promised to spend 316 trillion won between now and 2018 on social welfare.
- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/features/article/south-korea-hikes-cigarette-prices-a-whopping-80pc#sthash.7jrMsUvN.dpuf
