Quote:
Originally Posted by Livia
In 2009-10, the government made over £10 billion from tobacco tax. During the same period, the NHS cost £100 billion to run. So smokers are in effect funding 10% of the NHS. That £10 billion is going to have to be collected from somewhere once smokers have been hounded to extinction. Conversely, obese people pay no extra tax on their food but their health problems cost as much as smoking-related illnesses.
If smoking bans continue in the way they have been imposed in the last few years, smokers will buy their tobacco illegally and criminals will make money from supplying in the way they do now with drugs. If people use their money, that has already been taxed by PAYE or another method, to buy tobacco which has a huge tax markup, then that's up to them. So long as they're not interferring with others or making others uncomfortable. Having said that, I don't know anyone who smokes who wouldn't be happy to nip outside and wouldn't dream of smoking around non-smokers or in anyone's home.
Incidentally, I have never seen anyone smoke in Houses of Parliament. In fact, Parliament was the first establishment in England to impose a smoking ban way back in the 1600s.
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Absolutely first class post again Livia.Not only spot on but informative and educational too.