NOB-Bharat news: Parliament has approved the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill – 2025.  Following this, there is a discussion underway about whether cigarette prices in India will increase significantly. This bill, introduced by Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, revises the excise duties on various tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, hookah, and chewing tobacco. Currently, the excise duty ranges from Rs. 200 to Rs. 735 per thousand cigarettes, depending on the type and length of the cigarette. According to the new amendments, this is expected to increase to Rs. 2700 to Rs. 11,000. According to official estimates, the price of a cigarette, which currently costs Rs. 18, is likely to increase to Rs. 72. Similarly, the tax on chewing tobacco is expected to increase from 25 percent to 100 percent, on hookah tobacco from 25 percent to 40 percent, and on smoking mixtures from 60 percent to 300 percent. However, there are mixed reactions to this price increase on social media. While some believe that this will deter many people from smoking and using tobacco products, others say that smokers will not change their habits regardless of the price increase.