Smoke Goes Up: On Buzz Regarding Cigeratte Price Hike

After the Parliament passed the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025 few weeks ago, Internet debates on cigeratte prices made it to the trends.

Cigarette prices in India have been rising steadily, mostly through gradual tax increases. The change is rarely dramatic, but it is clearly felt. At shop counters, the higher cost has become routine.

Such price increases do have some effect. They can discourage people from picking up the habit in the first place and may lead occasional smokers to cut back. In that limited sense, higher prices act as a barrier rather than a solution. For regular smokers, the response is different. Habits tend to adjust instead of ending. Many shift to buying loose cigarettes or cheaper options. Smoking becomes less visible, but it does not necessarily reduce.

At the same time, keeping cigarettes affordable carries its own risks. Easier access can lead to wider use and delayed quitting. Price increases, even modest ones, send a clear message that smoking carries costs beyond the individual.

Regulating cigarette prices, therefore, works as a supporting step. It sets direction, but it cannot stand alone. When combined with awareness, regulation, and support for those who want to quit, it becomes part of a broader and more balanced approach.

Though there are numerous apt measures to fight smoking and its harmful effects which will be experiment every now and then, but smokers especially those residing in Delhi NCR do not need to worry about the cost of their daily puff. They can try breathing instead.