Cigarette tax is a good idea in so many ways

[donnashuggy]

Smoking is just not enjoyable anymore anyway as it is just not socially acceptable.

You can't smoke here, you can't smoke there, what a terrible addiction to have 

Everyone should just give up!

[witches*wol]

I gave up the cancer sticks, coffin nails, ciggies, call them what you will about 13 year ago.  Every now and then I think I'd like one but the feeling passes.

Anyway people on radio were talking about "Why don't the govt just ban them and be done with it?"  

A bloke rang in and explained it very simply... Govt will not ban ciggies because of Tourisim!  Most of our tourists come from China (apparently) and smoking is huge in China and if Aust bans the ciggie the Chinese will not holiday here, and there goes our tourisim industry and our economy with it.

Plus who wants to be the first country on earth to ban ciggies?????

[just_me_karen]

NZ is talking about banning them and I think it's on the books for Australia too. Their new law will ban people born after yr 2000 from purchasing cigarettes. I'm not sure how that will impact tourism, but there's hardly anywhere people can smoke anyway. Many country towns now have smoking bans for the entire town centre and all council or govt owned property, including parks, bus stops, footpaths etc.

I'm a smoker and I support the tax hikes. Hopefully it'll make me give up. I do feel sorry for low socioeconomic ppl, who have a higher smoking rate, but I think they'll find ways to cope, ie growing their own, buying chop chop or buying cheapies from Chinese tourists.

[polksaladallie]

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@just_me_karen wrote:
NZ is talking about banning them and I think it's on the books for Australia too. Their new law will ban people born after yr 2000 from purchasing cigarettes. I'm not sure how that will impact tourism, but there's hardly anywhere people can smoke anyway. Many country towns now have smoking bans for the entire town centre and all council or govt owned property, including parks, bus stops, footpaths etc.

I'm a smoker and I support the tax hikes. Hopefully it'll make me give up. I do feel sorry for low socioeconomic ppl, who have a higher smoking rate, but I think they'll find ways to cope, ie growing their own, buying chop chop or buying cheapies from Chinese tourists.

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New Zealand has a very small population, how could that work here?

I'm a smoker and I support the tax hikes. Hopefully it'll make me give up.

Sorry to hear that, Karen.  Please try.

[icyfroth]

no way is any modern government going to ban smoking. or drinking. or gambling.

a. it would be against civil liberties.

b. there's too much many to be made out of taxes.

[***super_nova***]

I used to smoke now and then, could go for weeks or months without one, then buy a packet and smoke it, and not bother getting more.  I gave up totally to have a baby, and when I tried to go back to normal later, my daughter did not like it so I did not smoke.  Until, some 30 years ago, when I had some huge drama with my ex, and friend offered me a cigarette, it was Winfield (?), I took one and was not able to stop for 6 months.  Later on I read somewhere that these cigarettes were the brand deliberately marketed to young kids.  Anyway, it was really hard for me to stop that time; I really had absolutely incredible cravings, and when I saw somebody walking past smoking I felt like trying to breath the smoke in LOL.  It took 6 months but in the end I just stopped cold turkey.  So I have some idea how hard it can be, but I did stop, so can others, and everytime cigarettes go up in price, there is a drop in sales.  And that is good.

As far as smokers' right go, how about the right of non smokers to have a clean air to breath?  Maybe there should be "smoking rooms" and nobody should be allowed to smoke elsewhere.  I specifically like this one:

[*elizabeths-mum*]

I wonder why sugar which has no nutritional value and lots of negatives including health issues causing a drain on the health services isn't taxed the same way cigarettes are?

[just_me_karen]

When they ban ciggies, they'll increase taxes on alcohol, then gambling, then sugar & junk foods... and coffee... Oh no..l

[cat_mioux]

I'm a smoker and I'm planning to stop or at least cut right down because of the expense. I just can't afford to smoke any more!

I once quit 11 years ago and it was so hard I spent the first two days in bed. I felt dizzy and unbalanced for the first week. But I gave up for 5 months then met Mr Ex who smoked. *sob*. After a month I was back to smoking again.

Anyway ... I do feel sad for the smokers who would rather cut down on essentials like food to support their addiction. The tax hike won't force them to quit, the really addicted smokers. I have heard of a few elderly people whose doctors and recommended they didn't stop smoking. At their age it would be too much of a shock to the body.

[***super_nova***]

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 I have heard of a few elderly people whose doctors and recommended they didn'tstop smoking. At their age it would be too much of a shock to the body.

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But they can cut down.

[icyfroth]

Why don't they introduce tax on food? That would cut down on a lot of obese people and diet related illnesses the health system wouldn't have to pay for!

Just a thought!