Sales of Illicit Cigarette Brands: Results of a Survey of Retailers
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Draft Report on Tobacco NIPFP 2025 submitted to the Revenue Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Government of IndiaAuthors
R. Kavita Rao, Rohit Dutta and Seema MauryaAbstract
This study seeks to document the availability of ‘non-compliant’ cigarette brands across urban areas in India. It provides a comprehensive overview of the regulatory and tax policy frameworks that govern cigarette sales. Based on field surveys from selected cities, the study presents insights about the share of cigarettes of varied brands and raises major concerns over the growing presence of illicit cigarettes in India. The study further reviews measures adopted by other countries to address illicit tobacco products and identifies actionable measures that may strengthen India’s regulatory framework and enforcement mechanism to protect public health and curb illicit cigarette trade.