TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Legislators on Monday gave preliminary approval to a bill that would increase the tax on cigarettes by NT$20 a pack. Raising the cigarette tax was part of a set of policies announced earlier this year. If smoking rates fall year by year as planned by health officials, the drop will absolutely affect long-term care tax revenue. While at the same time, both demand and required funding for long-term care is set to increase," Huang remarked. Sheu said annual cigarette tax and estate and gift tax combined will add up to approximately NT$30 billion, which the Health Ministry believes can sustain the long-term care program within the next five years.

Source: The China Post March 13, 2017 16:07 UTC