According to Prensa Latina's report on December 11th, Austrian authorities are planning to introduce a new tax on e-cigarettes to bring in more funds for the national treasury.
Currently, e-cigarettes and their pods in Austria are only subject to a 20% sales tax, without having to pay a tobacco tax. In contrast, traditional cigarettes are required to pay a 60% tobacco tax.
Hannes Hofer, Director of the Austrian Tobacco Bureau, pointed out that from a public health perspective, this tax structure is clearly difficult to understand. He believes that tobacco sales should be converted to nicotine sales and that shops should be limited in their sales of e-cigarettes and nicotine products.
Hofel also pointed out that currently any bakeries, tire shops, or even cellphone retailers are free to sell these products, which has caught the attention of large retail chains. He emphasized that uncontrolled sales endanger the health of young people, while the demand for tobacco alternative products is growing by 50% annually.
The Austrian government is planning to reform taxation on e-cigarettes, with hopes that this move will increase the country's annual budget by approximately 1 billion euros.
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