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Rising cigarette prices!?!?!?

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Reason to quit then. You will have to try and find something else to waste your money on, or alternatively, cheer up.
Reply 181
Avatar for n00
n00
14
Original post by Moiraclaire
Reason to quit then.


Not really. You can still grow your own tax free.
Original post by n00
Not really. You can still grow your own tax free.


SO you waste time instead of money- great.
Reply 183
Avatar for n00
n00
14
Original post by Moiraclaire
SO you waste time instead of money- great.


Not as much as i just wasted on you.
Taxing tobacco is fair if it's to recoup the burden tobacco-related illnesses put on the NHS, but I do remember reading somewhere that tobacco tax income far outweighs NHS costs, and that probably ignores the fact that smokers will statistically die younger and thus become less likely to use the NHS later in life.

Sure, make a bit of money out of it (that is the point of taxes, after all), but even as a non-smoker I'd have to agree that upping prices is an exercise in pointlessness.

In 2009:
Estimated cost to NHS - £5bn.
Spend on tobacco - £16.9bn.
Tax from tobacco - £10.5bn.

It doesn't need to be that high, and I imagine a lot of smokers can't be easily priced out of smoking, so continuous up-pricing just means smokers have less pound in their pocket for other things.

Education on the harm and risks associated, how to give up (~67% of smokers want to give up), and general support services would be money better-spent, whilst appreciating that many smokers don't want to give up.
Negging those who smoke. :rolleyes:
Original post by sebastienlewis
Negging those who smoke. :rolleyes:


Negging those who are stupid :rolleyes:
Reply 187
Avatar for JOR2010
JOR2010
14
Cigarettes are a demerit good which cause negative externalities. The government uses indirect taxation to increase the price of cigarettes, and thereby try and reduce demand, so that the negative externalities from cigarettes are reduced, as with market failure. No wonder why they are doing this.
Original post by wilko1991
I am so jealous of the rich who can smoke to their heart's content.


Meaning they'll stop when they have a heart attack.
Original post by JOR2010
Cigarettes are a demerit good which cause negative externalities. The government uses indirect taxation to increase the price of cigarettes, and thereby try and reduce demand, so that the negative externalities from cigarettes are reduced, as with market failure. No wonder why they are doing this.


Wow, someone has an as level in economics.
Reply 190
Avatar for JOR2010
JOR2010
14
Original post by DaveSmith99
Wow, someone has an as level in economics.


Well observed!
Reply 191
Avatar for Iron Lady
Iron Lady
About bloody time too. I am sick to death of having to hold my breath when I walk past a group of adolescent boys trying to impress their peers.
The rich can do more things, that is the point of being rich. Maybe the government are trying to improve the economy, by giving smokers an incentive to earn more.

Tbh I think tobacco should be illegal, I shouldn't have to inhale carcinogens every time I walk on a high street just so other people can kill themselves prematurely. And don't go talking rubbish about freedom to do whatever you want: we do not have complete liberty in this country, and I'm sure we all sleep better at night knowing that that is true.
Original post by n00
Not as much as i just wasted on you.


If we're going to be pedantic, you wasted about 2 minutes arguing with me, but growing things takes a little longer and the social impact in that you'll look very sad.
Original post by brendonbackflip
Meaning they'll stop when they have a heart attack.


It was supposed to be a bit of a pun. Can people stop quoting and bring it up. I KNOW WHAT I MEANT. IT WAS A JOKE. STOP QUOTING ME AND TELLING ME. PLEASE.

Edit: my orginal post "I am so jealous of the rich who can smoke to their heart's content."

I realised what I said and it was on purpose so stop quoting me and saying "lol but your heart will fail." It just too funny FFS.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 195
Avatar for function
function
Original post by cl_steele
this is the most stupid and pointless post i have seen in a long time. It's nothing more than a long winded pointless rant at thin air.


Original post by DaveSmith99
And this is the most astoundingly poor argument in the thread :smile:


If either of you read the post you would realise i already made the point that my post is just opinion and therefore intrinsically worthless. Why you both felt the need to restate this in ironically more pointless posts i do not know.
You are both entitled to your opinion but if you are not even going to bother to qualify your statements then what is the point...
Also my 'rant/argument' (it was actually an observation) was not at thin air as it actually dealt with some of the relevant points discussed in the thread.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by function
If either of you read the post you would realise i already made the point that my post is just opinion and therefore intrinsically worthless. Why you both felt the need to restate this in ironically more pointless posts i do not know.
You are both entitled to your opinion but if you are not even going to bother to qualify your statements then what is the point...
Also my 'rant/argument' (it was actually an observation) was not at thin air as it actually dealt with some of the relevant points discussed in the thread.


Fair point I will explain why your arguments are poor.

1) How do smokers impede the liberty of others?
2) I'm complaining about the cost on a moral ground, im not addicted to nicotine in anyway shape or form.
3) All this talk of NHS budgets and you fail to mention the fact that smokers put far more money into the NHS through taxation and duty than they take out.
Original post by DaveSmith99
QFA



Original post by function
If either of you read the post you would realise i already made the point that my post is just opinion and therefore intrinsically worthless. Why you both felt the need to restate this in ironically more pointless posts i do not know.
You are both entitled to your opinion but if you are not even going to bother to qualify your statements then what is the point...
Also my 'rant/argument' (it was actually an observation) was not at thin air as it actually dealt with some of the relevant points discussed in the thread.


Cant put it better than how DaveSmith99 put it to be honest...
weed > fags

:cool: dun kno
Reply 199
Avatar for function
function
Original post by DaveSmith99
Fair point I will explain why your arguments are poor.

1) How do smokers impede the liberty of others?
2) I'm complaining about the cost on a moral ground, im not addicted to nicotine in anyway shape or form.
3) All this talk of NHS budgets and you fail to mention the fact that smokers put far more money into the NHS through taxation and duty than they take out.


Original post by cl_steele
QFA


Firstly i should have mentioned that i am a smoker. Secondly thanks for taking the time to reply.
I think i used the wrong word by saying smokers impede the liberty of others. What i meant to say was they impose social costs on others without explicit consent from those parties. This is not a categorically bad thing since it allows smokers to preserve their own liberty but it seems many smokers are intentionally ignorant to this fact when engaging in debate. Hence why i mention the hypocrisy of it.
I am also aware that smokers put more into the NHS budget than they take out. It can even be argued that because of this any external cost they impose are in actuality 'paid for'. However can the price of smoking accurately reflect any such costs to a meaningful extent? If you believe it can't then then it follows that you shouldn't smoke. If however you believe that the price makes up for the costs of your consumption then how can you argue against any price hikes. Maybe your real beef is that you believe the government has inaccurately estimated the level of taxation necessary. If it is then you may be right but i do not know enough about how the taxation is calculated to asses that point.
I don't understand how you are complaining about the cost on a moral basis though. Perhaps you can elaborate.
Just to be clear my initial post was meant to highlight the absurdity of some of the arguments expressed by others in the thread. Both by smokers and non smokers. It was not meant to advocate any views for or against.
(edited 11 years ago)

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