Cigarette Prices Soar From Feb 1, 2026: Longer Sticks Hit Hardest by New Excise Duty

• Cigarette prices are set to increase by 20-30% from February 1, 2026, due to revised government excise duties.
• The price hike is directly linked to cigarette length; longer sticks will incur significantly higher taxes.
• Taxes range from Rs 2,700-3,000 per 1,000 sticks for up to 65mm, to Rs 11,000 for the "other" category (longer/different designs).
• This translates to a per-stick tax increase of Rs 2.7 for shorter variants and up to Rs 11 for the longest.
• Shorter cigarettes will see smaller price increases, while longer and premium variants face a much higher impact.

Why It Matters: Cigarette length will now be the primary factor determining retail prices after the excise duty hike.