There is a rise in the tobacco black market trade which is putting the government under pressure to cut, or at least freeze the excise on cigarettes.

The Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers has rejected this idea saying the tobacco excise is “designed to encourage smokers to quit”.

Deakin University’s Dr James Martin told Peter Fegan on 4BC Breakfast, “I think obviously there’s a good intention behind this [Cigarette taxes] to try and get smokers to quit.”

“That’s been undercut now by the widespread availability of black market cigarettes and that availability means that the high cigarette taxes are not doing what the government says they should be, which is to reduce smoking,” Dr Martin continued.

Hear more highlights from 4BC Breakfast below:

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