Tobacco- Time for a re-think?

[WTF]

8 minutes ago, Barlow said:

Cost of health care, ICU etc for smokers? Some will cost more in healthcare than they have ever spent in cigarettes over their whole life, let alone the tax.

and just as many will never claim a  pension.

[A fool and his money.....]

35 minutes ago, 2112 said:

It’s a sin vice and as a result IOMG like the taxes from it, whatever the viewpoint is. The same can be applied to fuel taxes and energy costs. I can’t see IOMG try and eliminate tobacco, they may as well ban alcohol as well, and petroleum and diesel. IOMG love the revenue too much.

There's the rub.

When Covid lockdowns were first starting, the NZ Government, including, Ardern, ministers, CEO's of departments etc. all took a 20% pay cut in solidarity to the millions left financially worse off by the pandemic.

At the time it was suggested the Manx Government do the same. They didn't.

As far as I can see the only reason they didn't follow NZ in that case was, in a word, greed. 

They won't follow this idea for the very same reason.

[The Voice of Reason]

29 minutes ago, Barlow said:

Cost of health care, ICU etc for smokers? Some will cost more in healthcare than they have ever spent in cigarettes over their whole life, let alone the tax.

And most won’t 

[Max Power]

1 hour ago, 2112 said:

It’s a sin vice and as a result IOMG like the taxes from it, whatever the viewpoint is. The same can be applied to fuel taxes and energy costs. I can’t see IOMG try and eliminate tobacco, they may as well ban alcohol as well, and petroleum and diesel. IOMG love the revenue too much.

Agreed, but they'll just find other things to tax, like our toilet tax but with a meter to measure use. 

[finlo]

1 minute ago, Max Power said:

Agreed, but they'll just find other things to tax, like our toilet tax but with a meter to measure use. 

I heard they were working on the air that we breathe.

[The Voice of Reason]

8 hours ago, Barlow said:

BBCNews: New Zealand will ban the sale of tobacco to its next generation, in a bid to eventually phase out smoking.

Could the Isle of Man be so bold?

Or just ban it ASAP

 

Be better to start with banning self righteous pricks

[quilp]

1 hour ago, finlo said:

I heard they were working on the air that we breathe.

Those with big noses will pay more. 

[joebean]

I told my kids that f they started smoking they need not concern themselves about the harmful and life threatening impacts of tobacco, as I would kill them first. It seems to have worked.

[littlebushy]

Are they dead?

[wrighty]

3 hours ago, Barlow said:

Cost of health care, ICU etc for smokers? Some will cost more in healthcare than they have ever spent in cigarettes over their whole life, let alone the tax.

Some might, but I suspect in general that most smokers are net contributors to the service. Average smoker might spend about £3000 in tax per year, that’s £120k over their life before dropping down dead from a heart attack at 60. 

[finlo]

4 minutes ago, wrighty said:

Some might, but I suspect in general that most smokers are net contributors to the service. Average smoker might spend about £3000 in tax per year, that’s £120k over their life before dropping down dead from a heart attack at 60. 

Indeed, as as mentioned above leaving all that pension money for some chinless civil servant!

[hampsterkahn]

A long time ago, as a very young man,I probably made one of the very worst decisions in my life - to smoke.

Every day I am thankful that a just few years later,  I made  probably one of the very best decisions in my life - to stop.

[Barlow]

58 minutes ago, wrighty said:

Some might, but I suspect in general that most smokers are net contributors to the service. Average smoker might spend about £3000 in tax per year, that’s £120k over their life before dropping down dead from a heart attack at 60. 

That's a very clinical scenario. I like it. It should be compulsory.

How much does an overall trip to Broadgreen Cardio-thoracic centre cost? That £120,000 will soon get gobbled up.

 

Edited December 9, 2021 by Barlow

[joebean]

2 hours ago, littlebushy said:

Are they dead?

I refuse to answer, on the grounds I may incriminate myself.

[CallMeCurious]

10 hours ago, WTF said:

what will governments put the duty up on, or invent to tax next to cover the loss of duty ?

Does it really matter? Surely no-one thinks smoking is anything but an anachronism that is dying out quite literally.

Just keep raising the duty above inflation year on year, keep imposing more restrictions on who can sell them.

Maybe introduce a tobacco license (like an alcohol license) that can be removed or suspended if proven they sold to anyone underage.

Start restricting nicotene content, start going after some of the additives they use to make tobacco burn better if they can be connected to adverse health outcomes.

Death of a thousand cuts.