Cigarette prices have surged significantly since the excise duty hike on 1 February, burning a hole in your pocket. The hike depends on the length of the cigarette sticks — the longer, the costlier.

Starting 1 February, the additional duty on cigarettes is being applied over and above 40% Goods and Services Tax (GST).

According to the government's notification:

1. Unfiltered cigarettes shorter than 65 mm will attract an excise duty of ₹2,050 per 1,000 sticks

2. Filtered cigarettes shorter than 65 mm will be taxed at ₹2100 per 1,000 sticks.

3. The duty on Medium-length cigarettes (65-70 mm) will be as high as ₹3.6-4 per stick.

4. Longer and premium variants will face even higher levies, with duties going up to ₹8,500 per 1,000 sticks.

How much will different cigarette brands cost now?

With the additional excise now in place, cigarette prices have increased by at least ₹22 to ₹25 per pack of 10 sticks.

New agency PTI cited distributors as saying that prices of premium cigarettes of 76 mm length will increase by ₹50- ₹55 per pack of 10 sticks, depending on the brand.

While manufacturers have yet to issue revised MRP declarations, distributors have begun billing retailers for old stock at 40% GST, PTI reported.

Distributors reportedly expect fresh stock with the new MRP to be lifted from Monday onwards.

Here's what new prices may look like, as per PTI:

The distributors expect cigarette packs with new MRPs to arrive from the manufacturers by the end of the month.

"Some of the companies have already put their stocks on hold. They will start releasing after billing under new tax structures," a stockist told PTI.

According to All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation (AICPDF), there are around 8,000 to 9,000 stockists of Cigarettes and tobacco products in the country.

An additional excise duty on cigarettes and tobacco products, and a health cess on pan masala, over and above the highest 40% GST rate, has come into effect from 1 February.

Caution!

Distributors fear that price hikes may lead to smuggling and the proliferation of counterfeit products.

AICPDF, which claims to represent over 4.5 lakh distributors and more than 1.3 crore kirana and retail outlets across India, cautioned that a sharp tax increase on legal sin products may harm the traditional, brick-and-mortar retail system, which is already facing stiff competition from online platforms and quick-commerce giants.

"Tobacco products are among the few categories where small shopkeepers are still relevant. If this too is pushed into the hands of illicit networks, what will be left for honest retailers? This is not just about taxation-it is about survival," AICPDF President D Patil said.