In a recent interview with a media outlet, one of the most prominent economists in the country, Nishan de Mel, was asked about his opinions on the tax revenue generated by cigarette usage. In response to this question, he articulated his beliefs as follows.
There are a variety of taxes that can be applied to the consumption of cigarettes. In 2019, the parliament decided on a certain policy and passed it. The map has been completed, and all of the academics, economics, and universities have given their approval. That plan was never put into action. The implementation of the tax formula that was agreed upon for cigarettes has the potential to bring in an additional 40–50 billion rupees in tax income for the government, provided that it is carried out accurately.