Cigarettes just got pricier, and this time it’s tied directly to the Union Budget. Following the budget announcement and the additional excise duty that came into effect from Sunday, prices have jumped across categories.
Packs are now costing at least Rs 22 to Rs 25 more. Premium 76 mm cigarettes are up by Rs 50 to Rs 55 per pack of 10 sticks. Mid-sized favourites like Wills Navy Cut are expected to move from Rs 95 to around Rs 120, while longer 84 mm cigarettes such as Gold Flake Lights and Wills Classic could rise from Rs 170 to Rs 220–225. Slim cigarettes aren’t spared either, with some packs of 20 likely touching Rs 350.
With the Union Budget signalling tighter taxation and distributors already billing old stock at higher GST, the new MRPs are slowly settling in. Wholesale markets were shut on Sunday, but fresh stock with revised prices is expected to fully roll out from Monday.
The result is simple. Lighting up has officially become a more expensive habit. So maybe this is a good moment to pause. Just to ask a quieter question. What else could you do instead?
51 simple things you can do instead of smoking
- Make a cup of proper tea and drink it slowly
- Go for a five-minute walk, no phone
- Stretch your neck and shoulders
- Chew fennel seeds or saunf
- Listen to one full song without skipping
- Brush your teeth, even if it’s midday
- Do 10 squats, badly if needed
- Write one line about how your day is going
- Call someone you keep meaning to call
- Wash your face with cold water
- Step outside and look at the sky
- Eat a fruit, not hurriedly
- Clean one small corner of your room
- Watch a short stand-up clip
- Read two pages of anything
- Make yourself a lemon water
- Sit quietly and breathe for one minute
- Massage your palms and fingers
- Do a quick Google search on something random
- Water a plant
- Change your posture and sit straight
- Check how much money you save skipping one cigarette
- Listen to a podcast snippet
- Rearrange your desk slightly
- Wash a cup or plate by hand
- Look through old photos on your phone
- Do calf raises while standing
- Hum a tune, even softly
- Write a to-do list, even if you ignore it later
- Apply lip balm or moisturiser
- Open a window
- Eat a piece of dark chocolate
- Write down one thing you’re grateful for
- Tie and untie your shoelaces slowly
- Stretch your back gently
- Peel and eat an orange, slowly
- Clean your glasses or sunglasses
- Read one news headline only
- Do a quick body scan, head to toe
- Make a playlist for later
- Drink a full glass of water
- Sort one email or message
- Look around and name five things you see
- Do a few deep sighs
- Wash your hands with care
- Eat a handful of nuts or seeds
- Sit on the floor for a minute
- Plan one small thing you’ll enjoy later
- Smile at something, even ironically
- Step outside the room you’re in
- Decide to delay the cigarette by ten minutes
No grand resolutions here. Just choices. Small swaps. Tiny pauses. Sometimes, that’s enough to change the rhythm of a day. And maybe, over time, the habit too.
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