Hong Kong smokers to escape proposed tax hike in budget

The tax on tobacco will not rise in the upcoming budget despite a campaign to double the duty on cigarettes in a bid to get more Hongkongers to kick the habit.
A person familiar with the situation said Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah would hold fire on any increase this year because the government was still studying the impact of his decision to raise tax by 20 cents a cigarette in last year’s budget.
“It is quite rare for the government to raise the duty in two consecutive years but we won’t rule out the possibility of further increases in future,” the person said.
 

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1703788/smokers-escape-tax-hit-budget