The state-run General Authority for Health Insurance has announced that it will raise taxes on cigarettes from July, Middle East Monitor reported.

Egypt will begin collecting an additional one EGP (USD 0.064) for every pack of cigarettes sold in the local market starting July. The authority said in a statement that the increase in tariffs would apply to both local and international cigarette brands, adding that another 10 per cent of taxes would be imposed on all tobacco products.
The statement pointed out that the new law was imposing "an additional EGP 0.25 (USD 0.016) every three years, until the total increase hits EGP 1.5 (USD 0.095) by July 2027." According to the report, the money earned would be spent on "enhancing the country's public medical services."
The state's revenue from tobacco taxes have increased over the past five years by nearly 100 per cent. During the financial year 2016-17, it amounted to some EGP 35 billion (USD 2.2 billion), while it amounted to EGP 50 billion (USD 3.2 billion) the following year, the report said.