The tax on cigarettes is being increased with immediate effect, the Minister for Finance, Brian Cowen, announced on Wednesday.

Cigarette prices are to rise by 30 cent per packet of 20 from Wednesday onward bringing the cost of the most popular brands to € 7.45. In last year's budget the government increased prices of cigarettes by 50c and a few weeks ago the minimum price of cigarettes was increased to € 6.79. (pi)