The tobacco tax on snus is to be reduced by 20 percent, which according to the government corresponds to a price reduction of three kroner per can.
And at the same time, the tax on cigarettes and smoking tobacco is increased by nine percent, which corresponds to approximately four kroner more for a pack of cigarettes.
– The reason is that there are many more who snuff than smoke. And the health-damaging effects of smoking are significantly more tangible than when compared to snus, says Oscar Sjöstedt, economic policy spokesperson for SD.
He does not see it as a punishment for people who smoke.
– I don’t know if you should see tax legislation as a way to punish people, it can be applied to a great many phenomena in such cases.
“Really safe”
The proposal is presented in connection with the government’s autumn budget, but is not supposed to come into force until 1 November 2024. The government needs to come back with a proposal to the Riksdag.
So-called white snus and other tobacco-free products are not covered.
According to Sjöstedt, the calculations of how much cheaper a snuff box will be, and how much a pack of cigarettes will increase, are relatively safe. Provided that no intermediary charges more than estimated.
– This is the basis that the Ministry of Finance produced. We can probably be pretty sure of that, if the entire tax cut lands with the customer.
– But we also have a Competition Authority available, he adds.
Inflation is haunting
At the same time, inflation can haunt because the tobacco tax is recalculated every year based on changes in the consumer price index.
In this high inflation situation, it can have some “tricky consequences”, according to Sjöstedt.
– But hopefully we will now see that inflation will fall back to a slightly more normal position during the next year. Then maybe there isn’t much to argue about. But if inflation remains at high levels, you probably need to take another new approach.
The snus proposal costs around SEK 130 million for 2024 and SEK 800 million for 2025, according to the Ministry of Finance’s calculations, and is more or less offset directly against the tax increase on cigarettes.
At the same time, there are health risks with snuff, including effects on the heart and blood vessels and increased blood pressure. Those who snuff may also have an increased risk of developing diabetes type 2 compared to those who do not snuff, according to the Public Health Authority.