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Excise duties on cigarettes will rise by 9% in November, while those on heated tobacco products will increase by 25% and duties on cut tobacco by 26%, according to the announcement on kormany.hu.
The government said the annual adjustment of excise rates due in January was expected to generate HUF 90 bln in revenue, which would help cover the treatment of smoking-related and other diseases.
Around 20,000–25,000 people die from smoking-related illnesses in Hungary each year, the announcement said. According to ministry calculations, the direct and indirect healthcare costs associated with tobacco consumption amount to 1.7% of GDP, equivalent to just under HUF 1.5 trillion in 2025.
By comparison, revenue from excise duties and value-added tax on tobacco products totaled approximately HUF 775 bln last year. The government said the higher excise duties were intended to help address this imbalance.
The announcement described the measure as part of broader efforts to reduce smoking, strengthen prevention and improve health services. Additional revenue would contribute to “better and safer” care, while higher tobacco prices could discourage consumption and indirectly reduce healthcare costs, it said.
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