Cigarette prices going up

US researchers say that quitting smoking on Monday (and again the next Monday) is better than on New Year's. - shutterstock.com/AFP

KUALA LUMPUR: Cigarette prices are set to go up at the end of this month or within three weeks, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

He said the price increase was in line with the recent Sales and Service Tax (SST) implementation on Sept 1.

"The SST will cause the prices of all tobacco products to increase.

"The Health Ministry is in the midst of coordinating the new prices of all tobacco products including cigarettes," he told reporters at a press conference in Parliament on Tuesday (Oct 16).

On Monday (Oct 15), Dr Dzulkefly had declared the Parliament would be a smoke-free zone with the Health Ministry taking a tougher stance on smoking.

Dr Dzulkefly also said that the minimum age to purchase alcohol had been raised from 18 to 21 effective Tuesday (Oct 16).