Ramadoss, who is an ardent advocate of anti-tobacco and anti-alcohol campaigns, wrote to the Finance Minister in the first week of February, urging him to raise the rate of excise duty on smaller cigarettes (70 mm or less). In his letter, he said a lower tax on them was not right as they were consumed by the most vulnerable section of society - the poor and the youth. Chidambaram seems to have heeded his request by increasing the excise duty on smaller non-filter cigarettes (not exceeding 60 mm length) nearly five times to Rs.819 per 1,000 winston from the prevailing Rs 168. There are 300 million people addicted to tobacco in India. Said Bhavani Thyagarajan, joint secretary in the Health department, "The initiative was taken by Health Minister who impressed upon the Finance Minister the need for higher excise duty on non-filter cigarettes as they are low-end products which are much cheaper.