Cuba - elderly will no longer get cigarettes in their rations..

ex-smoker..
August 28, 2010 - All Cubans 55 or older are allocated four packs of cigarettes a month for about 25% the normal price, but this privilege is being ended in September.

The measure is President Raul Castro's latest attempt to cut the communist state's spending. The island has been hit hard by the global economic downturn and the long-term US trade embargo.

A statement in the government-run Granma newspaper said the move was "part of the steps gradually being applied to eliminate subsidies". The health benefits were not mentioned.

Cigarettes "are not a primary necessity," it said. Some elderly non-smokers were taking their cut-price cigarettes and re-selling them to boost their meagre (deficient in quantity, fullness, or extent; scanty) pensions, says the BBC's Michael Voss in Havana.

"I'm insulted because it's another thing they are taking away from us," said Angela Jimenez, a 64-year-old who receives a monthly pension of about $10 (£6.50). She said she will now have to quit smoking because she won't be able to afford the normal price of about $0.33 a pack.

Cigarettes are the latest item to be removed from ration books. Subsidised peas and potatoes were eliminated in November.

Earlier in August Mr Castro said the role of the state would be reduced in some areas, to cut the "overloaded" state budget. He said more workers would be allowed to be self-employed or to set up small businesses.

Reference: Cuba to withdraw cheap cigarettes for elderly, BBC News, 8/25/2010.

Cuba related news briefs - mainly regarding cigars:
Cuban cigars - increased sales after a decline in 2009..;
Cuba - premium cigar sales down look to women to increase sales..;
Cuba - slashes tobacco land, demand for cigars down..;
Cuba Seeks World Heritage Designation for Cigar-Factory Readers..;
Tampa, FL - Hav-A-Tampa Cigar plant will close at the end of August..;
Habanos - after hurricanes can survive using tobacco reserves..;
Imperial Tobacco Group to Enhance Joint Venture Altadis Had With Habanos Cigars..;
Cuban cigar sales rose 7 percent to $402 million in 2007..;
Altadis (Alliance Tobacco Distributors) born from the merger of Spain's Tabacalera and France's Seita SA (F.STA) state tobacco monopolies...

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