Excise duty increase for cigarettes

The increase of excise duty on cigarettes has two objectives: first to make tobacco a luxury item, thereby forcing the population to give up smoking and secondly, to increase revenues. However, some economic analysts challenge this view. In particular, economist Vazha Beridze suggests that cigarette smokers will not give up smoking because of the increase in price. He also does not expect revenues to rise dramatically as a result of this policy.