New tax doubles price of tobacco in Egypt

Egyptian smokers were hit by price rises of up to 100 per cent as the government increased taxes on tobacco products in an effort to curb smoking.

A law passed in May, which took effect yesterday, raised the price of cigarettes by as much as 40 per cent, while the tobacco used in Egypt's ubiquitous water pipes, known as shisha, now costs twice as much.

World Health Organisation figures show the number of smokers has grown more than twice as fast as the population over the past 30 years. Around 40 per cent of men use some form of tobacco.