[user104658]

Originally Posted by Livia

Tobacco tax puts around £12billion into the Treasury through duty and tax every year.

Twelve Billion.

And we're going to deny treatment to the people who pay more tax than anyone else in a like-for-like comparison.

Bloody outrageous.

Another morbid fact to go with that:

People assume that that tax is offset by smoke-related illness costing the NHS more money. However... smokers in general actually cost the health service LESS than non-smokers. Because the majority of most people's NHS cost comes in old age. And smokers die younger, freeing up resources.